Fic: Rebuilding the Family (8/?)
Title: Rebuilding the Family
Chapter: (8/?)
Author: escargoat
Rating: FRM
Pairings: B/G, mentions of X/Anya W/T
Warnings: More Crazy!Spike in this chapter. General non-fuzzy talk about Spike aka - not everyone thinks he is wonderful, much like not everyone liked him on the series.
Disclaimer, summary and author’s notes in part 1. General Quibbling.
A/N- Yes I'm still alive. Previous parts of this story should be archived at "Of Demons and Destiny"
‘’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’
Giles made a distracted clucking noise as Buffy sat scrubbing her stylish new boot.
“You didn’t have to step in it. You know that blood leaves nasty stains,” he commented as she continued her scrubbing.
“I needed to check to see if any of them were still alive,” she responded absently.
“Okay, so could we maybe talk less about Buffy’s boots and more about the fact that my librarian is dead?” Dawn asked.
“Librarian and several classmates,” Giles corrected her.
“Well, yeah, but none of them were going to help me with my research project. Plus, they were all on the cheerleading squad.”
“What’s so bad about that?” Buffy asked as she applied more leather cleaner to her cloth.
“You do realize that was a total ‘mom’ answer, don’t you?” Dawn replied.
“What’d I say?” Buffy asked genuinely confused.
“Ignore her, Dawnie, I think she’s having her blonde moment of the month,” Willow stage whispered.
“Hey, I heard that.”
Giles cleared his throat. “Their no doubt snobbish behavior aside, we cannot ignore the fact that they were rather gruesomely slaughtered.”
“I was a cheerleader,” Buffy continued sullenly.
“So was Cordelia,” Willow pointed out.
“Well, yeah, but I wasn’t like Cordelia. Not really. Right Giles?”
“Having not known you whilst you were an actual cheerleader, I feel I am unqualified to answer that. Now perhaps you three would like to get back on topic?”
“Spoilsport,” Buffy pouted.
“Buffy, don’t pout you know how it makes me,” he paused as his mind realized what his mouth had been about to say, “…annoyed,” he finished lamely.
“You mean that you give into her and give her, her way,” Dawn corrected.
“Yes, precisely,” he responded absently as Buffy peevishly continued to pout. His own eyes betrayed him as he continued to look longingly at her lips, and he found himself wishing that they were alone.
Buffy caught the look in his eyes and her pout turned into a mischievous smile. He smiled lazily back at her before snapping back to reality.
“You two done being in your own little world?” Xander asked as he moved from his position near the archway and came into the Summers’ living room.
“Xander,” Giles greeted with a slightly embarrassed smile.
“In the flesh. Sorry I’m late. We had to work over, so I hear that we’re up to some old fashioned death in the new school?”
“Something killed the librarian and a bunch of cheerleaders,” Buffy stated.
“We think it’s a ritual of some kind,” Giles added.
“We do? When did we decide that?” Buffy asked.
“Sometime when you, your sister and Willow were talking about cheerleaders, I believe.”
“Ah cheerleaders, you hate to see such a waste of talent. All that jumping and shouting and tiny skirts never to be seen again,” Xander sighed nostalgically.
“Yes, quite,” Giles murmured as his mind steadfastly insisted on putting Buffy in a cheerleading outfit. He shook his head. He really needed some alone time with his Slayer. Preferably near a bed.
“So a ritual, huh? Was it a cheerleader sacrifice?” Dawn asked in a slightly chipper tone.
Buffy raised her eyebrows in a slightly disapproving way. “My sister is a freak. Dawn, what did I tell you about getting so excited about bad things happening?”
“That I could cause bad and horrific things to happen because I could summon a demon or something worse,” she replied in a bored tone.
“Listen to your sister, she knows about these things,” Xander interjected.
“I forgot what fun it was to be around you lot,” Giles feigned his irritation as he hid a pleased smile behind his book. It felt good to be around their pointless joking. The way that they dealt with the horrific things that they saw everyday was oddly comforting.
“Oh, oh! I got it!” Willow said before the others had a chance to reply to Giles’ sarcastic comment.
“You do?” Buffy said surprised at how quickly Willow had found the answer on her laptop.
“Well, I think I do. I searched the ritual sacrifice database that I built for Giles that one summer? And boom - here it is.”
“Good work, Will,” Buffy said as she and Giles simultaneously moved to read over the redhead’s shoulder.
“Ah, yes the rite of… well of… I’m not sure that I can pronounce that,” Giles finally admitted.
“Don’t worry. I’m pretty sure I can’t even read that,” Buffy said consolingly.
“In any case, there is a simple vanquishing spell that should undo the rite itself. The demons that initiated it, however…”
“I got it. I’ll go get my sword and stake,” Buffy interrupted her Watcher as she became business like.
With swift strides, she walked over to the other end of the living room.
“Simple beheading should work once you find them, but I do fear that they will not be easily tracked,” Giles said as he followed her.
“Not a problem. I’ve got a crazy vamp that smelled the whole thing. I’m pretty sure that he can track them down. And wipe the worried look off of your face,” Buffy added without turning to look at Giles.
Genuinely agitated, he pulled of his glasses so that he could polish them. “Are you sure that taking Spike is a wise idea?”
“No, but it’s fast. And after the way those bodies looked, fast is good. Look, I’ll take Xander with me to keep an eye on our resident nutcase.”
“Buffy…”
“Look, Giles. You said that I was an adult. Let me prove it. Besides, I’m more worried about you,” she finished with a whisper.
“What on earth for?” he asked concernedly.
“I just, I don’t want to think it, but Willow found that ritual pretty fast. I mean, we hadn’t even finished our pre-research squabble, and she finds the answer?”
“Surely you don’t think that Willow caused this.”
“No, not really. If I did, well I wouldn’t be taking Spike out for a walk, but I’m worried that she might have used magic to aid her computer search. Giles, if she starts falling off of the bandwagon because she’s back here…”
“Buffy, I promise you that the instant I see any sign of her doing that, that I will send her back to England,” he said reassuringly as he placed his hand on her shoulder.
“Right after you have her kill Spike?”
“How did you?”
“Hey, I know you a lot better than you think I do. That funny brain of yours isn’t completely undecipherable you know.”
“Well at least one of us should be in possession of discernable thought patterns, I suppose.”
“Hey, are you calling me irrational?”
“You are the one who is going off with an insane vampire that tried to rape you. You tell me,” Giles snipped as his concerns began to get the better of him.
“Well, I’m not the one who almost got himself killed trying to rescue Willow, and then took her off to England.”
“I did what I had to do. You know that. You said so yourself.”
“And I’m doing what I have to do, Giles.”
“Spike isn’t the same as Willow, Buffy. He isn’t human.”
“And this isn’t about him. This is about stopping some demons, and I need to find them to do that,” she finished with an angry whisper as she shouldered past Giles.
“Let’s go, Xander,” she said shortly as she strode towards the door.
Xander looked around helplessly before he reluctantly followed her.
“What put the cranky bug in her pants?” Willow asked after the front door closed.
“I’m afraid I did,” Giles admitted as he settled down on the sofa.
“Well, yeah, we kinda got that from the whole angry whisper thing you guys were doing,” Dawn pointed out.
“We had a disagreement about Spike.”
“Oh,” was all Dawn said in response.
“It isn’t as if I don’t have good reason to be concerned,” Giles defended himself against the silence in the room.
“Did I say you didn’t?” Dawn asked.
“I think what Dawnie means is that we get why you’re upset, but you gotta remember that Buffy is Buffy, Giles. She isn’t all rational and calm - she’s, well…”
“Buffy?” Dawn asked impishly.
Willow rolled her eyes at Dawn. “Not exactly what I was looking for, but yeah.”
“Believe me, I know that Buffy is a highly unusual person, I just do not wish to see her make foolish decisions.”
“Well, you picked the wrong girl for that. I mean, when we shopping the other day? Buffy bought a bunch of frilly lingerie. What does she need that for she’s practically joined the nunnery since Spike, and I totally see from the look on your face that this is way too much information. Sorry Giles,” Dawn said as she bolted from the room in embarrassment.
Willow fidgeted nervously. “Giles?” She finally asked.
“Yes?”
“Does Buffy think that I’m using magic again? I mean the bad stuff, ‘cause I’m not, really I’m not. Not that I don’t understand why she would think that, ‘cause she should. But…”
Giles raised a weary hand. “Willow, Buffy has her concerns about you the same as she has for her other friends. She merely does not want to see you hurt again. And as the Slayer she sometimes puts the objective ahead of everything else. I’m afraid that I was a poor teacher in that regard. I pushed her to be so conscious of her slaying that I destroyed part of the girl inside.”
“Yeah because Angel and her Mom’s death and, hey, her own two deaths didn’t do anything to her.”
“I am well aware that I am not completely responsible for her behaviors, Willow.”
“Good, because I have my own psychosis to deal with. I’m not really up on my Watcher counseling techniques.”
Giles shook his head slightly and strode across the room to a pile of books on the coffee table.
“Perhaps you would like to assist me in the spell?”
‘’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’
“There once was a doggie named Spike,
Who Xander, he didn’t like.
The vamp, he had guts
So he kicked Xander in the nuts
And got himself a, ah…”
“How about a new face to go with the charming hair,” Xander snarled at the looney vampire.
“No, that doesn’t rhyme,” Spike said flippantly as he continued to walk in front of Buffy and Xander as he tried to catch a scent.
“Less rhyming, more sniffing,” Buffy commanded snippily.
“Oooh, someone’s not getting over her tiff with the Watcher is she now?”
“I didn’t have a tiff with Giles, and how did you find out about that anyway?” Buffy looked over at Xander. He shrugged sheepishly.
“Xander!”
“Well, you were the one who left me alone with Mr. Not-So-Peroxide-Anymore when you had to go use the bathroom at the gas station. I just casually mentioned that Giles wouldn’t have any trouble killing him, and that he didn’t like your plan with Spike.”
“Boy’s getting soft on his threats,” Spike said as he sniffed a fire hydrant.
“Eww, Spike!” Buffy chided.
“What, I’m not gonna piss on it.”
“Just keep walking before I have to put you in an urn.”
“Fine, fine,” he grumbled in response, but he began his trek forward again.
A little while later, Spike stopped suddenly.
“If you try to take a leak on that tree,” Xander threatened.
“Shh, I smell them. They smell like old Avon perfume.”
Buffy peered around the tree in the direction that Spike pointed out.
“Spike, that’s a group of little old ladies,” she hissed.
“Yeah, so? You’ve never been accosted by a little old granny? Besides, what’s a nice group of ‘old ladies’ doin’ wanderin’ around Sunnydale at midnight, hmm?”
“Can I stake him now?” Xander asked.
“What for?”
“Because I hate it when you make sense, and I want to keep it to a minimum.”
“Shh,” Buffy held up a hand as the ‘Old Ladies’ began to form a circle and chant.
Spike chose that moment to start humming a jaunty tune along with their chanting.
Buffy quickly punched him in the gut.
“What? They needed backup.”
Buffy shook her head and got a firm grasp on her sword. “Xander stay here and watch him. If he does anything bad, cut off his ears.”
“What about the demons?” Xander asked.
“I’ll be fine. What’s a bunch of geriatric demons gonna do to me?”
‘’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’
Giles rubbed his eyes after he looked at the clock. Fourteen minutes past one in the morning and still no Buffy. Just before it turned fifteen past the hour, the front door burst open.
Buffy limped in while Xander came in chuckling behind her.
“Buffy, what happened?” Giles asked concernedly.
Xander choked back a laugh and managed to answer Giles before Buffy. “She got hit by a little old lady with a cane.”
“That is so not true. They were demons. And I think that I’ve put up with enough harassment, or do you want to go join Spike on his fiftieth round of ‘Row, Row, Row Your Boat?’”
“Aw, come on Buffster, He’s probably only up to the thirtieth.”
“What happened?” Giles inquired.
“Spike keeps forgetting the words, so he keeps restarting the song,” Xander supplied.
Giles merely glared at him in response.
“Demons. Looked like Old ladies. Had canes and walkers and venomous fangs. Killed them. Sore owies,” Buffy replied so much more helpfully.
“Yes, I see. Perhaps I should stay and assist you with your injuries. Xander? Why don’t I stay here tonight? Perhaps I could do a bit more research. I don’t remember there being anything about fangs in the description of the demons.”
Xander nodded in mid yawn. “Just make sure that they give you a comfortable pillow for the couch.”
“Hey, I always give out good pillows,” Buffy protested.
“And with that stunning remark, I think I’d better get going while the going is to be gotten. And did I just sound like crazy Spike?”
“Yes, and it serves you right,” Buffy pouted as she threw one of the not so soft couch pillows at him.
“Goodnight Xander,’ Giles said politely before the two friends erupted into a pillow fight.
“‘Night, Xander,” Buffy echoed before Xander exited.
Giles shook his head and pushed Buffy onto the couch. “Sit. I’ll go get you some aspirin.”
“Don’t want aspirin,” Buffy responded as she pulled Giles onto the couch with her.
“You said you were in pain,” he responded hesitantly.
“I lied. How else was I supposed to get Xander to leave without you so easily?”
“Are you certain you weren’t injured?”
“Giles, they attacked me with walkers.”
“And the poisonous fangs?”
“True, but I’ve had years of experience avoiding fangs. I just kinda assumed the venomous part from the yellow liquid dripping off of them.”
“Ah, I see, what about Willow and Dawn?” He asked as he wiggled closer to her.
“Wellll, if we’re really, really quiet…” Buffy trailed off as her fingertips began to brush his outer thigh.
“I used to run a library. I am the epitome of quiet,” he replied as his lips descended to her jaw and one hand snaked around her waist.
“Hey, no kiss first?”
“My apologies, I cannot imagine what I was thinking,” he mock apologized before brushing his lips against hers.
Buffy gasped slightly after he broke contact. Then she surged after his lips with her own. She slid one set of her fingers into his short hair and the other curled a fist around the front of his shirt.
Then she pushed him away and bounced up on her feet.
Bewildered, he opened his mouth to speak. Before he could utter a sound, Dawn and Willow came flying down the staircase.
“Hey, you’re back,” Willow noted happily.
“So the slaying went alright?” Dawn asked.
“Yes, and yes,” Buffy answered. “And Dawnie, shouldn’t you be in bed? Last I noticed, Friday is still a school day.”
“I just wanted to make sure you were okay,” Dawn grumbled.
“No false guilt trips. I know you were watching t.v. with Willow. I can see the popcorn crumbs on your pajamas. Which, by the way, look like my pajamas.”
“I’m tired and need to go to bed. Bye,” Dawn said quickly as she ran back to her bedroom.
Willow smiled sheepishly. “Sorry, you know, about the t.v. thing. Oh, and I’m sorry that we interrupted you.”
Buffy colored slightly. “Interrupted?”
“Yea, I mean, the last thing you need is for Dawn and me to wake Giles up when you’re trying to make him all comfy. I guess he isn’t used to staying up all night like he used to be.”
Buffy turned around to see Giles conked out on the couch. “Yeah, well, you know he’s getting soft with all the sleeping and vamplessness of England,” she almost visibly winced at how dumb she sounded.
Willow smiled knowingly. “Well, I’ll let you finish tucking him in.”
Buffy waited until she left. Then turn exasperatedly around to stare at her Watcher.
“Honestly, you’d think that you could at least stay awake,” she muttered as she pulled his feet up on the couch and tried to arrange him more comfortably.
“What makes you think I’m not?” he asked as he cracked one eye open.
X-posted to AllTheJellies; and TweedandTea
Chapter: (8/?)
Author: escargoat
Rating: FRM
Pairings: B/G, mentions of X/Anya W/T
Warnings: More Crazy!Spike in this chapter. General non-fuzzy talk about Spike aka - not everyone thinks he is wonderful, much like not everyone liked him on the series.
Disclaimer, summary and author’s notes in part 1. General Quibbling.
A/N- Yes I'm still alive. Previous parts of this story should be archived at "Of Demons and Destiny"
‘’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’
Giles made a distracted clucking noise as Buffy sat scrubbing her stylish new boot.
“You didn’t have to step in it. You know that blood leaves nasty stains,” he commented as she continued her scrubbing.
“I needed to check to see if any of them were still alive,” she responded absently.
“Okay, so could we maybe talk less about Buffy’s boots and more about the fact that my librarian is dead?” Dawn asked.
“Librarian and several classmates,” Giles corrected her.
“Well, yeah, but none of them were going to help me with my research project. Plus, they were all on the cheerleading squad.”
“What’s so bad about that?” Buffy asked as she applied more leather cleaner to her cloth.
“You do realize that was a total ‘mom’ answer, don’t you?” Dawn replied.
“What’d I say?” Buffy asked genuinely confused.
“Ignore her, Dawnie, I think she’s having her blonde moment of the month,” Willow stage whispered.
“Hey, I heard that.”
Giles cleared his throat. “Their no doubt snobbish behavior aside, we cannot ignore the fact that they were rather gruesomely slaughtered.”
“I was a cheerleader,” Buffy continued sullenly.
“So was Cordelia,” Willow pointed out.
“Well, yeah, but I wasn’t like Cordelia. Not really. Right Giles?”
“Having not known you whilst you were an actual cheerleader, I feel I am unqualified to answer that. Now perhaps you three would like to get back on topic?”
“Spoilsport,” Buffy pouted.
“Buffy, don’t pout you know how it makes me,” he paused as his mind realized what his mouth had been about to say, “…annoyed,” he finished lamely.
“You mean that you give into her and give her, her way,” Dawn corrected.
“Yes, precisely,” he responded absently as Buffy peevishly continued to pout. His own eyes betrayed him as he continued to look longingly at her lips, and he found himself wishing that they were alone.
Buffy caught the look in his eyes and her pout turned into a mischievous smile. He smiled lazily back at her before snapping back to reality.
“You two done being in your own little world?” Xander asked as he moved from his position near the archway and came into the Summers’ living room.
“Xander,” Giles greeted with a slightly embarrassed smile.
“In the flesh. Sorry I’m late. We had to work over, so I hear that we’re up to some old fashioned death in the new school?”
“Something killed the librarian and a bunch of cheerleaders,” Buffy stated.
“We think it’s a ritual of some kind,” Giles added.
“We do? When did we decide that?” Buffy asked.
“Sometime when you, your sister and Willow were talking about cheerleaders, I believe.”
“Ah cheerleaders, you hate to see such a waste of talent. All that jumping and shouting and tiny skirts never to be seen again,” Xander sighed nostalgically.
“Yes, quite,” Giles murmured as his mind steadfastly insisted on putting Buffy in a cheerleading outfit. He shook his head. He really needed some alone time with his Slayer. Preferably near a bed.
“So a ritual, huh? Was it a cheerleader sacrifice?” Dawn asked in a slightly chipper tone.
Buffy raised her eyebrows in a slightly disapproving way. “My sister is a freak. Dawn, what did I tell you about getting so excited about bad things happening?”
“That I could cause bad and horrific things to happen because I could summon a demon or something worse,” she replied in a bored tone.
“Listen to your sister, she knows about these things,” Xander interjected.
“I forgot what fun it was to be around you lot,” Giles feigned his irritation as he hid a pleased smile behind his book. It felt good to be around their pointless joking. The way that they dealt with the horrific things that they saw everyday was oddly comforting.
“Oh, oh! I got it!” Willow said before the others had a chance to reply to Giles’ sarcastic comment.
“You do?” Buffy said surprised at how quickly Willow had found the answer on her laptop.
“Well, I think I do. I searched the ritual sacrifice database that I built for Giles that one summer? And boom - here it is.”
“Good work, Will,” Buffy said as she and Giles simultaneously moved to read over the redhead’s shoulder.
“Ah, yes the rite of… well of… I’m not sure that I can pronounce that,” Giles finally admitted.
“Don’t worry. I’m pretty sure I can’t even read that,” Buffy said consolingly.
“In any case, there is a simple vanquishing spell that should undo the rite itself. The demons that initiated it, however…”
“I got it. I’ll go get my sword and stake,” Buffy interrupted her Watcher as she became business like.
With swift strides, she walked over to the other end of the living room.
“Simple beheading should work once you find them, but I do fear that they will not be easily tracked,” Giles said as he followed her.
“Not a problem. I’ve got a crazy vamp that smelled the whole thing. I’m pretty sure that he can track them down. And wipe the worried look off of your face,” Buffy added without turning to look at Giles.
Genuinely agitated, he pulled of his glasses so that he could polish them. “Are you sure that taking Spike is a wise idea?”
“No, but it’s fast. And after the way those bodies looked, fast is good. Look, I’ll take Xander with me to keep an eye on our resident nutcase.”
“Buffy…”
“Look, Giles. You said that I was an adult. Let me prove it. Besides, I’m more worried about you,” she finished with a whisper.
“What on earth for?” he asked concernedly.
“I just, I don’t want to think it, but Willow found that ritual pretty fast. I mean, we hadn’t even finished our pre-research squabble, and she finds the answer?”
“Surely you don’t think that Willow caused this.”
“No, not really. If I did, well I wouldn’t be taking Spike out for a walk, but I’m worried that she might have used magic to aid her computer search. Giles, if she starts falling off of the bandwagon because she’s back here…”
“Buffy, I promise you that the instant I see any sign of her doing that, that I will send her back to England,” he said reassuringly as he placed his hand on her shoulder.
“Right after you have her kill Spike?”
“How did you?”
“Hey, I know you a lot better than you think I do. That funny brain of yours isn’t completely undecipherable you know.”
“Well at least one of us should be in possession of discernable thought patterns, I suppose.”
“Hey, are you calling me irrational?”
“You are the one who is going off with an insane vampire that tried to rape you. You tell me,” Giles snipped as his concerns began to get the better of him.
“Well, I’m not the one who almost got himself killed trying to rescue Willow, and then took her off to England.”
“I did what I had to do. You know that. You said so yourself.”
“And I’m doing what I have to do, Giles.”
“Spike isn’t the same as Willow, Buffy. He isn’t human.”
“And this isn’t about him. This is about stopping some demons, and I need to find them to do that,” she finished with an angry whisper as she shouldered past Giles.
“Let’s go, Xander,” she said shortly as she strode towards the door.
Xander looked around helplessly before he reluctantly followed her.
“What put the cranky bug in her pants?” Willow asked after the front door closed.
“I’m afraid I did,” Giles admitted as he settled down on the sofa.
“Well, yeah, we kinda got that from the whole angry whisper thing you guys were doing,” Dawn pointed out.
“We had a disagreement about Spike.”
“Oh,” was all Dawn said in response.
“It isn’t as if I don’t have good reason to be concerned,” Giles defended himself against the silence in the room.
“Did I say you didn’t?” Dawn asked.
“I think what Dawnie means is that we get why you’re upset, but you gotta remember that Buffy is Buffy, Giles. She isn’t all rational and calm - she’s, well…”
“Buffy?” Dawn asked impishly.
Willow rolled her eyes at Dawn. “Not exactly what I was looking for, but yeah.”
“Believe me, I know that Buffy is a highly unusual person, I just do not wish to see her make foolish decisions.”
“Well, you picked the wrong girl for that. I mean, when we shopping the other day? Buffy bought a bunch of frilly lingerie. What does she need that for she’s practically joined the nunnery since Spike, and I totally see from the look on your face that this is way too much information. Sorry Giles,” Dawn said as she bolted from the room in embarrassment.
Willow fidgeted nervously. “Giles?” She finally asked.
“Yes?”
“Does Buffy think that I’m using magic again? I mean the bad stuff, ‘cause I’m not, really I’m not. Not that I don’t understand why she would think that, ‘cause she should. But…”
Giles raised a weary hand. “Willow, Buffy has her concerns about you the same as she has for her other friends. She merely does not want to see you hurt again. And as the Slayer she sometimes puts the objective ahead of everything else. I’m afraid that I was a poor teacher in that regard. I pushed her to be so conscious of her slaying that I destroyed part of the girl inside.”
“Yeah because Angel and her Mom’s death and, hey, her own two deaths didn’t do anything to her.”
“I am well aware that I am not completely responsible for her behaviors, Willow.”
“Good, because I have my own psychosis to deal with. I’m not really up on my Watcher counseling techniques.”
Giles shook his head slightly and strode across the room to a pile of books on the coffee table.
“Perhaps you would like to assist me in the spell?”
‘’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’
“There once was a doggie named Spike,
Who Xander, he didn’t like.
The vamp, he had guts
So he kicked Xander in the nuts
And got himself a, ah…”
“How about a new face to go with the charming hair,” Xander snarled at the looney vampire.
“No, that doesn’t rhyme,” Spike said flippantly as he continued to walk in front of Buffy and Xander as he tried to catch a scent.
“Less rhyming, more sniffing,” Buffy commanded snippily.
“Oooh, someone’s not getting over her tiff with the Watcher is she now?”
“I didn’t have a tiff with Giles, and how did you find out about that anyway?” Buffy looked over at Xander. He shrugged sheepishly.
“Xander!”
“Well, you were the one who left me alone with Mr. Not-So-Peroxide-Anymore when you had to go use the bathroom at the gas station. I just casually mentioned that Giles wouldn’t have any trouble killing him, and that he didn’t like your plan with Spike.”
“Boy’s getting soft on his threats,” Spike said as he sniffed a fire hydrant.
“Eww, Spike!” Buffy chided.
“What, I’m not gonna piss on it.”
“Just keep walking before I have to put you in an urn.”
“Fine, fine,” he grumbled in response, but he began his trek forward again.
A little while later, Spike stopped suddenly.
“If you try to take a leak on that tree,” Xander threatened.
“Shh, I smell them. They smell like old Avon perfume.”
Buffy peered around the tree in the direction that Spike pointed out.
“Spike, that’s a group of little old ladies,” she hissed.
“Yeah, so? You’ve never been accosted by a little old granny? Besides, what’s a nice group of ‘old ladies’ doin’ wanderin’ around Sunnydale at midnight, hmm?”
“Can I stake him now?” Xander asked.
“What for?”
“Because I hate it when you make sense, and I want to keep it to a minimum.”
“Shh,” Buffy held up a hand as the ‘Old Ladies’ began to form a circle and chant.
Spike chose that moment to start humming a jaunty tune along with their chanting.
Buffy quickly punched him in the gut.
“What? They needed backup.”
Buffy shook her head and got a firm grasp on her sword. “Xander stay here and watch him. If he does anything bad, cut off his ears.”
“What about the demons?” Xander asked.
“I’ll be fine. What’s a bunch of geriatric demons gonna do to me?”
‘’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’
Giles rubbed his eyes after he looked at the clock. Fourteen minutes past one in the morning and still no Buffy. Just before it turned fifteen past the hour, the front door burst open.
Buffy limped in while Xander came in chuckling behind her.
“Buffy, what happened?” Giles asked concernedly.
Xander choked back a laugh and managed to answer Giles before Buffy. “She got hit by a little old lady with a cane.”
“That is so not true. They were demons. And I think that I’ve put up with enough harassment, or do you want to go join Spike on his fiftieth round of ‘Row, Row, Row Your Boat?’”
“Aw, come on Buffster, He’s probably only up to the thirtieth.”
“What happened?” Giles inquired.
“Spike keeps forgetting the words, so he keeps restarting the song,” Xander supplied.
Giles merely glared at him in response.
“Demons. Looked like Old ladies. Had canes and walkers and venomous fangs. Killed them. Sore owies,” Buffy replied so much more helpfully.
“Yes, I see. Perhaps I should stay and assist you with your injuries. Xander? Why don’t I stay here tonight? Perhaps I could do a bit more research. I don’t remember there being anything about fangs in the description of the demons.”
Xander nodded in mid yawn. “Just make sure that they give you a comfortable pillow for the couch.”
“Hey, I always give out good pillows,” Buffy protested.
“And with that stunning remark, I think I’d better get going while the going is to be gotten. And did I just sound like crazy Spike?”
“Yes, and it serves you right,” Buffy pouted as she threw one of the not so soft couch pillows at him.
“Goodnight Xander,’ Giles said politely before the two friends erupted into a pillow fight.
“‘Night, Xander,” Buffy echoed before Xander exited.
Giles shook his head and pushed Buffy onto the couch. “Sit. I’ll go get you some aspirin.”
“Don’t want aspirin,” Buffy responded as she pulled Giles onto the couch with her.
“You said you were in pain,” he responded hesitantly.
“I lied. How else was I supposed to get Xander to leave without you so easily?”
“Are you certain you weren’t injured?”
“Giles, they attacked me with walkers.”
“And the poisonous fangs?”
“True, but I’ve had years of experience avoiding fangs. I just kinda assumed the venomous part from the yellow liquid dripping off of them.”
“Ah, I see, what about Willow and Dawn?” He asked as he wiggled closer to her.
“Wellll, if we’re really, really quiet…” Buffy trailed off as her fingertips began to brush his outer thigh.
“I used to run a library. I am the epitome of quiet,” he replied as his lips descended to her jaw and one hand snaked around her waist.
“Hey, no kiss first?”
“My apologies, I cannot imagine what I was thinking,” he mock apologized before brushing his lips against hers.
Buffy gasped slightly after he broke contact. Then she surged after his lips with her own. She slid one set of her fingers into his short hair and the other curled a fist around the front of his shirt.
Then she pushed him away and bounced up on her feet.
Bewildered, he opened his mouth to speak. Before he could utter a sound, Dawn and Willow came flying down the staircase.
“Hey, you’re back,” Willow noted happily.
“So the slaying went alright?” Dawn asked.
“Yes, and yes,” Buffy answered. “And Dawnie, shouldn’t you be in bed? Last I noticed, Friday is still a school day.”
“I just wanted to make sure you were okay,” Dawn grumbled.
“No false guilt trips. I know you were watching t.v. with Willow. I can see the popcorn crumbs on your pajamas. Which, by the way, look like my pajamas.”
“I’m tired and need to go to bed. Bye,” Dawn said quickly as she ran back to her bedroom.
Willow smiled sheepishly. “Sorry, you know, about the t.v. thing. Oh, and I’m sorry that we interrupted you.”
Buffy colored slightly. “Interrupted?”
“Yea, I mean, the last thing you need is for Dawn and me to wake Giles up when you’re trying to make him all comfy. I guess he isn’t used to staying up all night like he used to be.”
Buffy turned around to see Giles conked out on the couch. “Yeah, well, you know he’s getting soft with all the sleeping and vamplessness of England,” she almost visibly winced at how dumb she sounded.
Willow smiled knowingly. “Well, I’ll let you finish tucking him in.”
Buffy waited until she left. Then turn exasperatedly around to stare at her Watcher.
“Honestly, you’d think that you could at least stay awake,” she muttered as she pulled his feet up on the couch and tried to arrange him more comfortably.
“What makes you think I’m not?” he asked as he cracked one eye open.
X-posted to AllTheJellies; and TweedandTea