Chapter 3 - Action
Summary: Like a stopper pulled, the retrieval of the Everstone has set loose a maelstrom of powers. Things not dared been mentioned in all the ages of the world, stir and awaken within their putrescent hives in answer to the Hellmouth’s call. Clawing their way free from the poisoned earth, they are driven towards a single goal - the capture of the Key and the destruction of all the world.
Disclaimer: All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended.
Timeline: Immediately follows Book 1: Dusk
Rating: TV-14 (nothing worse than on the show)
Pairing/Characters: Buffy/Spike, Willow/Dusk(OC), Xander/Anya, Giles/Marlena(OC), Dawn, Faith, Angel, Dracula
Book One: Dusk (all chapters)
Previous chapter of Midnight
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Hellmouth Ascendant Trilogy: Revamped Edition
Book Two:
Midnight
Chapter 3
Action
“Giles’ got a date! Giles’ got a date!”
Buffy was chanting at the top of her lungs as she danced around the blushing watcher. Alec was leaning against the wall to their chambers, smirking wryly and taking in the whole scene with great bemusement. Finally, he decided to intervene on his father’s behalf.
“Yo, brat!” he called out.
Buffy whirled around, still grinning like a lunatic.
“Yeah, big brother?” she asked cutely.
Alec gestured with his thumb out the door.
“Scram. Dad’s got to get ready for his…” he cast a look at his father who was regarding him with grave concern, “…engagement,” he finished diplomatically.
The older man sighed in relief and cleared his throat.
“Alec is quite right, Buffy, so if you wouldn’t mind…?” he gestured to the door.
She grinned and bounded over to his kiss his cheek.
“Good luck, Giles. Remember, women like excitement and passion. Do NOT begin the evening with how your hobbies include cross-referencing.” She pointed a finger at his nose warningly.
Alec stifled a chuckle as Giles sighed indulgently.
“Yes, thank you, Buffy. I’m sure your advice will prove quite useful.”
There was enough sarcasm in the older man’s voice to fill a teacup. She grinned cheekily at him and bounded over to Alec. He leaned in closer as she gestured for him to come nearer.
“Faith’s starting a betting pool. Wager being how far Giles gets with Marlena. You in?” she whispered, cupping her hand over his ear.
Alec snorted. “Ah, youth,” he replied haughtily.
She looked at him and pouted. Alec grinned and placed a hand over his sister's ear.
“Put me in for a ten spot that says he doesn’t make it back home tonight,” he replied grinning.
She bobbed her head, flashed him a thumbs up and bounded out of the room. Giles sighed.
“Yes, well, with any luck, the lot of them will be taking wagers on whether or not I’ll be sleeping in my own bed tonight,” he commented dryly.
Alec did a pretty good job of not roaring with laughter.
“Oh, come now, father. What kind of immature children do you take the defenders of humanity to be?” he asked, deadpan.
Giles just glared at his son.
Alec chuckled and walked over to a large closet, opening it to reveal a cornucopia of men’s clothing. He placed a finger to his lip thoughtfully.
“Now, what to wear…?”
After sending his father away attired in blue jeans, a white t-shirt, black sports coat and shoes, Alec wandered into the arcade, peered in and grinned. Willow was by herself, playing Skee-ball. Chuckling, the young man stealthily padded over to her. Willow picked up another ball and took aim.
“Give me that fifty-point pocket,” she whispered before letting the ball fly.
The ball rolled up the ramp, took off and landed squarely into the fifty-point pocket.
“Yes!” she grinned, pumping her fist.
She turned back to the ramp and her squeal of glee quickly became a squawk of surprise as a shadowy hand emerged from the fifty-point pocket, hoisted the ball and tossed it back down the ramp.
“What the…?” the young woman commented.
She spun around to encounter her grinning boyfriend.
“Alec!” she swatted him playfully.
He shrugged. “When you got it, flaunt it,” he offered as his only defense.
“Tampering with Skee-ball is blasphemy of the highest order. Didn’t you see ‘Dogma’?” she frowned at him.
Alec smirked.
“Yes, and if Alanis Morissette shows up, she can tell me that tampering with Skee-ball is blasphemy. Until such time…” He grinned and spread his hands.
Willow grinned and tossed the ball away from her, wrapping her arms around him.
“Did Giles get all set up for his date?” she asked.
Alec nodded. “Looking very GQ,” he replied.
She smiled wryly. “Giles as GQ material? I don’t think my imagination can stretch that way.”
Alec snorted wryly. “I know he seems like Captain Tweed nine times out of ten, but every now and then…” he chuckled. “Well, Dad’s got a wild side.”
Willow nodded. “Sometimes a little too wild.”
She smiled and tilted her chin to peer up into his dark eyes.
“I’m glad I got the nice, boring Giles,” she teased.
Alec’s eyes widened. “Oh is that right?” he purred.
She grinned, knowing she was in trouble.
“That’s RIIII-aie!”
She squealed as he picked her bodily up off her feet and laid her flat atop the Skee-ball ramp. She peered up at him, mock-quizzically.
“Okay, wise guy, and just what do you plan on doing?” she asked demurely.
He grinned and reached behind him, producing a Skee-ball. Without getting up from atop her, without even looking, he rolled the ball up the ramp where it landed solidly into the fifty-point pocket. The little lights began flashing the words HIGH SCORE. Alec grinned down at her.
“Take a guess,” he purred as he kissed her neck.
The redhead stretched out in lazy ecstasy underneath him.
“Got to hand it to you, Alec,” she whispered as he kissed her ear. “When you’re good, you’re GOOOOD…”
The last word came out in a shudder of pleasure as he found a particularly sensitive spot behind her ear.
“Wait till you see me bad,” he whispered huskily, his hands beginning to roam. “I’m even better.”
There were no sounds of arguments.
Some time later, the disheveled pair found their friends in a large gymnasium. Willow just shook her head in amazement.
“This place has everything,” she commented.
“It does look that way,” Alec replied, nodding.
There were several large pads set up on the floor and there was what looked like some kind of boxing tournament going on.
“Check out the action,” Alec commented, sitting down on the floor next to Xander and watching Spike and Faith circling each other, trading blows.
Alec leaned over to the carpenter. “What’s the deal?” he asked.
Xander pointed.
“We’re having a contest to see who’s the toughest Scooby.” He counted off his fingers. “So far the running is Buffy, Faith, Spike and Angel.”
Alec looked at him surprised. “You’re not getting involved?” he asked in polite surprise.
The younger man shook his head emphatically.
“It’s weird, I got this thing about having my skeleton destroyed,” he replied wryly.
Anya was snuggled up against him and was now peering over at Alec, frowning.
“Yeah, besides, I don’t want him to get hurt; he’s fragile and tends to bruise easily,” she commented.
Xander sighed and placed a hand over his eyes.
“Thank you for that fresh infusion of humiliation, Ahn. I needed that.”
Anya smiled and patted his arm.
“You’re welcome,” she replied perkily, completely missing the sarcasm.
Alec frowned as Spike landed a pretty impressive kick to the side of Faith’s head.
“Hold up a second.” He gestured to the blond vampire. “Shouldn’t he be suffering a massive Excedrin headache right about now?”
Xander shook his head.
“Nope. Apparently his chip doesn’t kick in unless there’s intent to kill.”
Suddenly Spike’s head was snapped around hard as Faith backhanded him. Spike’s face changed and, with a roar, he charged the Slayer, only to yowl in pain and bring both hands to his head.
“Like now?” Alec asked.
“Uh-yup,” Xander replied.
Faith casually swept his feet out from under him and imitated a staking.
“That’s time, Blondie. You’re dust.”
She peered down grinning. Spike sighed, his head hitting the mat, his face changing.
“Bloody chip,” he snarled.
Faith got to her feet and offered her hand. Spike frowned wryly but took her hand as she helped him up. Faith chuckled and turned to the crowd, her eyes widened as she discovered Alec.
“Hey, D! Get in here!” she called out.
Alec shook his head. “No thanks, I only gamble with my life, not my pride,” he chuckled.
There were jeers from the crowd. Faith grinned.
“Come on, D, this is just for fun,” she pleaded.
Alec looked around… and with a sigh got to his feet. Everyone cheered for the martial artist. Stripping off his coat and t-shirt and kicking off his shoes, he padded over to the waiting Faith. She eyed his well-defined form admiringly.
“I think I’m going to enjoy this,” she bit her tongue in pleasure.
Alec sighed indulgently. Faith looked back up at his face.
“Okay, no powers, and no spikes, please. I don’t want to get skewered or something,” she warned.
“Not a problem,” he replied evenly, nodding once and settling into a fighting stance.
Faith grinned and readied her hands.
“And, D? Don’t hold back, okay?” she asked wryly.
Alec only nodded and, with a grunt, Faith attacked.
She came in high with a roundhouse kick, but she telegraphed the move. Alec ducked and sent an open palm strike to her solar plexus, knocking the wind out of her and sending her stumbling back. Gingerly rubbing her stomach, she grinned at him.
“Ohh, yeah, this is going to be better than sex,” she purred.
Alec just winked as Willow debated whether or not to correct the scarred Slayer. Faith spun around with a spinning backhand; Alec blocked and sent a double hand strike to her torso, knocking her back. The only way he was going to beat a Slayer was to keep his distance and to wear her down. Faith chuckled and spun around, delivering another kick; Alec dodged, but was unprepared for the fist that followed, catching him across the jaw and sending his head rocking back. There were exclamations from the crowd as Alec rubbed his jaw and grinned.
“Enjoy it, Faith, you’re not going to land another,” he promised.
Faith just grinned back at him and attacked. This time Alec was prepared; leaning back with the attack, he flipped backwards and sent his feet careening into Faith's chin, knocking her back hard. He completed the flip and whipped around with a devastating roundhouse kick; the blow connected to Faith’s head and sent her spinning to the mat.
“Go, Alec!” Willow chanted.
“Come on, Faith!” Angel yelled out.
Buffy just smirked watching the pair. Faith was stronger, but Alec was far better trained and faster than the girl. Faith spun around, Alec was doing the honorable thing and letting her collect herself before attacking again. This was, after all, just for fun. Faith smiled slightly; she knew he was cutting her a break and despite herself she appreciated it. Getting to her feet, she grinned.
“Damn, D, that was smooth,” she complimented.
He nodded humbly. Faith chuckled and came at him again, this time doing her best to close the distance between them where his acrobatics would be useless. Alec wasn’t having any of it; rather than trying to stand still and slug it out with a Slayer, he danced around, bobbing and weaving, letting her exert all her energy hitting air.
“Float like a butterfly, sting like a bee!” Xander yelled out.
Dawn was taking all this in with obvious admiration. Alec really was beautiful when he fought; he made it all look like a dance.
Finally, Faith got frustrated and launched a right hook that was far too wide; Alec grinned and, rather than pulling away, he closed the distance between them, hitting her with two quick strikes to the face, leaving her dazed. Placing both his hands on her shoulders, he pushed off the ground with a bound and did a handstand on top of the completely bewildered Slayer. Careful not to jerk her neck around too hard the wrong way, he pivoted and brought his whole body slamming hard down into her lower back. His knees found the backs of her knees, causing her to fold in on herself. She yelled out in surprise as he quickly folded her up into an unbreakable body lock/head lock. She struggled for a few minutes, then sighed and tapped out. Alec quickly released her and helped her to her feet. She groaned, rubbing her back.
“Okay, D, you got me,” she admitted grinning. She shook her head in amazement. “That was wild. How did you do that?” she asked.
Alec shrugged.
“I picked it up a while ago, usually the twist at the top is done a lot harder and the whole thing is done faster, but…” he shrugged and Faith got the point.
“I see. Well, thanks for not snapping my neck,” she grinned.
“Thanks for not breaking my face,” he replied courteously.
She grinned and patted his face.
“Damage THIS face? Never!” she grinned and blew him a kiss.
He rolled his eyes as she limped away, massaging her sore back. Alec turned to the crowd that was applauding both his performance and his sportsmanship. He held up his hands humbly.
“Not a big deal. Can I go now?” he asked wryly.
“No,” a voice called out.
Someone new entered the ring.
Alec sighed. “Oh, boy, I’m in trouble now.”
Buffy grinned as she settled into a fighting stance.
“Afraid so,” she replied grinning.
Alec readied his hands; his sister was a lot better trained and disciplined than Faith was. After all, Alec himself had taught her a few moves. This was not going to be easy.
Buffy knew her brother preferred to let the opponent make the first move. He’d always taught her that by that first strike, you could learn everything you needed to know about beating the other guy. She smiled slightly and rather than leading out with her right fist, which she was prone to do and no doubt he’d be expecting, she back pivoted and came around with her left.
Alec however, knew his sister well and was expecting the change of tactics; a hand was already out to intercept the blow. He caught her hand and jerked it towards him, snapping out two quick kicks to her solar plexus in rapid succession. He was working on a third when Buffy caught his foot and heaved, sending him flying backwards; he rolled with it and landed easily and lightly on the balls of his feet.
“Alec scores the first point!” Xander yelled.
“And his last,” Buffy added, not unfriendly.
Alec winked and shifted tactics, changing from his preferred style of Wushu to Muy Thai. Coming in with elbows and knees, he launched into a complicated attack sequence. Buffy blocked the blows, but in doing so weakened herself. Alec suddenly switched out of Muy Thai and snatched both her arms in his; pulling her down and falling down onto his back, he planted a foot to her stomach and sent her flying away. She hit the ground and rolled, getting to her feet smoothly.
“Nice toss,” she commented.
“Nice recovery,” he replied evenly.
Spike snorted. “If the two siblings are done stroking each other egos perhaps we can get back to the violence?” he yelled.
The pair grinned at each other.
“Well, you know the first rule of showbiz,” Buffy began, advancing on her older brother.
“Give the people what they want,” Alec finished, meeting her advance.
Buffy snapped out her trademark roundhouse kick. Alec had seen it a million times before and ducked, bringing a hand up against her jaw. Unfortunately for him, he’d overextended the blow, causing Buffy’s head to snap back out of range for his follow-up strike. She recovered quickly and, catching his arm, lashed out with two strong blows to his chest. Alec grunted, but was still grinning as he blocked the third blow and, bringing his knee up hard, unfolded his leg and caught Buffy in a kick that gave him some distance from the Slayer. He was now regarding his sister with a great deal more wariness. He couldn’t play the defensive tactic and win, like he had with Faith; he had to press the offensive and that meant getting close.
Swinging his legs around in a spinning cartwheel, he landed before the blonde and whipped out a roundhouse kick; the blow connected and Buffy rocked backwards. Alec followed it up with three strikes to her chest and waist, being very careful not to hit her wounds. Buffy did a split and lashed out with a jab, catching him in the stomach; she wasn’t about to hit her own brother below the belt so to speak. Alec fell back a little and Buffy did a handspring, spinning her legs around and catching Alec across the face with both feet. He rocked backwards and almost fell before righting himself.
“Come on, Alec!” Dawn yelled out.
Alec straightened and regarded Buffy calmly; his eyes clear, his face neutral. Buffy saw the look and tensed; Alec was through playing, he wasn’t going to hurt her, but he was going to fight to win. Buffy came at him with three blows one right after the other. Alec blocked them all and thrust a palm to her chest, knocking her back. Before she could react, he did a slide kick and nailed her square in the chest, knocking the wind from her. She groaned a little; that kick had had a lot of oomph behind it. She made sure Alec didn’t look angry; if that were the case she’d have called it all off. But his face remained calm and composed, merely determined. Inwardly she smiled; she really didn’t give her brother enough credit.
Alec lashed out with a spinning back-fist; Buffy caught it and hit him several times in the floating ribs. Alec grunted and, reversing his grip, snatched her arm. Using her body for leverage, he jerked his legs up in a switchblade kick, catching her under the chin hard. She swooned and fell back. He landed and pressed the attack, spinning himself like a tornado and lashed out with feet and fists; Buffy fell back against the onslaught. Finally, he finished by doing a full-split and lashing out with a fist to her stomach. The blow connected and Buffy folded over. Rolling onto his back, he snaked out with his legs, wrapping them around the Slayer's neck; pushing up with his hands, he did a handstand, hoisting her in the air before slamming Buffy down onto the mat hard. He released his grip on her neck and rolled away. Buffy cautiously got to her feet, rubbing her neck and trying to clear the stars from her vision.
“That was new,” she commented dryly.
Alec just nodded and Buffy attacked. Blow after blow, block and counter-block, the sound of feet and fists connecting was almost deafening. The pair sprang away form each other; Buffy’s blue eyes shining with determination, Alec’s dark eyes blazing with intensity. Leaping at each other, they flew and collided in mid air, Buffy with a blow to his jaw, and Alec snapping a high kick to her stomach. They landed in a heap and rolled away from each other, both panting slightly. Alec got his wind back first and, with a running leap, back-flipped towards the Slayer, did a handspring, and managed to land behind her. She turned just in time to get a fist in the face as Alec began an onslaught of blows, raining them upon her head. He finished by leaping high into the air and pivoting his whole body, she looked up just as he plowed into her like a rocket headfirst. Slamming her head down onto the mat, Alec pushed off her prone body and leaped away.
Buffy growled and sprang to her feet. Alec was already charging, but Buffy lashed out with a kick to his knees, sending him stumbling forward; with a grunt Buffy shot her fist out and caught her older brother across the face. He groaned and fell back as Buffy snapped out three fast kicks to his head before knocking his feet out from under him. He fell hard and rolled away just in time to miss an axe kick. He sprang to his feet and whirled around and leaping into the air, soared over Buffy’s head, he tucked his body into a ball and rotated; catching his feet against the wall, he pushed off hard and slammed into Buffy with the force of a freight train. She fell to the ground hard as he rolled away.
“Okay, this has gone on long enough…” Xander began, starting to look more than a little worried at the punishment the pair were doling out to each other.
The siblings ignored him and, with twin roars of defiance, charged at each other, meeting in a blur of feet and fists. The exchange was too quick to follow with the human eye. Finally, tangling their arms in one another, Slayer and Weapon slammed their heads into each other. There were groans from the audience as both Alec and Buffy fell to the mat.
Xander gaped. “Whoa, double K.O.”
He turned and shrugged apologetically to the audience, who had been regarding the intense fight with awe. Buffy and Alec both struggled to their feet, neither particularly steadily and turned to each other.
“Draw?” Buffy asked.
“Draw,” Alec replied, smiling slightly.
Stumbling over to each other, they hugged tightly as everyone cheered. Buffy pushed away to regard her brother in amazement.
“Where did you learn all that flying stuff?” she asked.
Alec grinned.
“It’s a combination of Ninjitsu and Spanish matador maneuvers,” he shrugged. “Seemed like a good idea at the time.”
Buffy chuckled and wrapped an arm around his shoulders. “That it was.”
Alec turned to her and gingerly rubbed his jaw.
“What about you, sis? You hit like a ton of bricks,” he commented dryly.
Buffy grinned and held up her hand.
“And I didn’t even crack a nail,” she quipped.
Alec laughed and tousled her hair as the rest of the gang came up to the fighters.
“That was…” Xander began.
“Really cool,” Dawn finished, beaming at Alec, who smiled warmly at her.
“To think, all this time I’ve been wasting playing ‘Mortal Kombat,” Spike commented wryly.
Buffy chuckled as Spike wrapped an arm around her. It was only through Alec’s and Buffy’s expertise and discipline that neither of them was seriously injured. Willow wrapped an arm around her man as Dawn handed him a towel.
“Thanks, petite,” Alec said as he flashed her his ‘melt your insides’ smile.
She blushed and scampered off. Alec chuckled and mopped his forehead.
“Wow,” Willow whispered awestruck.
Alec turned to her frowning. “What? You’ve seen me fight,” he commented puzzled.
She shook her head.
“Not like that, with the ‘whoosh’ and the flipping and the jumping.” She grinned like a kid at Christmas. “My boyfriend is Darth Maul,” she chuckled as Alec kissed her forehead.
“Your boyfriend needs a shower,” he replied wryly.
Willow pouted demurely. “Can I come?” she asked, her lower lip jutted out suggestively.
Alec laughed and kissed her face.
“Thanks, but I’ve endured one beating today, no need for two,” he grinned teasingly.
She swatted at him as he chuckled and headed back to follow the others, his hand in hers.
A few hours later, Alec padded into the poolroom, not surprised to see Buffy soaking in the hot tub. She smiled up at him.
“Hey, bro,” she grinned.
Alec waved a little and gently sank into the hot water opposite her.
“Ah… ah… ahhhhhhh…” he sighed in pleasure, sinking almost to his chin in the foamy water.
Buffy laughed.
“Yeah, me too,” she chuckled and patted his shoulder.
He had his eyes closed and had draped a black washcloth over his face as the water massaged his aching muscles.
“We must protect the world for the sake of Jacuzzis,” he commented, his voice muffled from the cloth.
Buffy nodded. “It is our sacred duty,” she replied wryly.
There was a silence.
“Alec?”
“Hmmm?”
“How come you and I… you know, never got together?”
There was a longer silence as Alec slowly picked up one corner of the cloth to peer at Buffy who was looking right at him.
“Don’t worry, I’m not insinuating anything,” she added hurriedly. “I was honestly just curious.”
Taking her words at face value, Alec considered.
“Well, if I had to pick any one reason, I think it would be that I couldn’t fight alongside someone I was involved with,” he replied after a long pause.
Buffy frowned. “But you and Willow…”
Alec shook his head.
“Willow usually hangs back or stays out of the fighting completely. I try to make sure of that. You and I are on the front lines.” He shook his head. “I couldn’t fight if I was worried about you.”
“And you’re not worried about me as my brother?” she asked petulantly.
Alec shrugged. “My logic outweighs my emotions on that one; I know you can take care of yourself.”
“And if we were involved?”
Alec snorted.
“Goodbye logic, hello massive overprotective instinct,” he replied wryly, draping the cloth over his face.
Buffy considered that.
“So you’re saying that you wouldn’t date anyone that you fought beside, because your protective instinct would overrule your brain?” she asked.
“Mm-hmm,” he replied.
There was another long pause as Alec peeked out of the cloth.
“Incidentally, why do you ask?”
Buffy sighed and looked down.
“I’m thinking about ending things with Spike,” she replied quietly.
If she was expecting massive surprise she was sorely disappointed.
“Angel?” he asked simply.
“Yeah,” she whispered.
Alec sighed and took the cloth off his face, lifting his head off the rim of the hot tub.
“Spill, sis,” he implored gently.
Buffy took a deep breath.
“I think I may still love Angel, and I can’t be with Spike if I do. Plus, I keep finding myself worrying about Spike and that chip in his head, wondering if some night I’m going to get into a fight that he can’t help me with. I don’t want him to have to endure that feeling of helplessness.”
She looked up at Alec, who was regarding her thoughtfully.
“I’m listening,” he replied quietly.
“I don’t know what I need right now, or who I need to be with.” Buffy sighed and looked very unhappy. “I don’t know anything.”
Alec wordlessly sloshed over to his sister and wrapped his arms around her. She sighed and rested her head against his shoulder.
“I don’t know what to do, Alec, I’m so confused,” she whispered.
Alec snorted. “Join the bloody club,” he commented dryly.
Stroking his sister’s wet hair he gently placed a reassuring kiss on her head.
“It’s going to be okay,” he promised her.
Buffy clung to him desperately.
“Is it wrong to love two people?” she asked.
Alec snorted in self-derision. “Don’t I wish I knew the answer to that one.”
Buffy looked up at him. “What do you mean?” she inquired suddenly.
Alec realizing his blunder, shifted around his tactics.
“Well, if I knew the answer to that, there would be a lot of people I could advise,” he replied smoothly.
Buffy sighed and leaned against him. “I suppose,” she mumbled.
Smiling slightly, she gave her brother a tight squeeze.
“Just don’t you get all weird on me, I need someone I know I can count on.”
Alec smiled and returned the hug.
“No worries, love. I am Mister Reliable,” he commented sardonically.
Buffy snorted. “I know I’ve heard that one before.”
Alec chuckled, but then frowned.
“Out of curiosity, how did this conversation begin with you asking me why we didn’t date?” he asked puzzled.
Buffy laughed quietly. “It seemed like a good idea at the time,” she responded.
Alec snorted wryly. “I know I’ve heard that one before,” he repeated her words.
She laughed and splashed him.
“Oh, you did NOT!” Alec cried and splashed her back.
Before long the pair was engaged in a truly vicious splashing match.
Competitive to the end.
Alec was in his bedchambers a little while later. It was late; most everyone had either gone to sleep or otherwise retired for the evening. He was strumming his dad’s guitar aimlessly. With a start, he checked his watch; then grinned.
Looks like I win the pool, he thought dryly. There was a knock on the door.
“Come,” Alec called out.
The door opened and Xander stepped through.
“Hey, man,” he commented.
Alec frowned, puzzled. What could Xander want at this hour?
“Hey,” he replied cautiously, setting the guitar down next to him. “What’s up?”
Xander exhaled and stuffed his hands in his pockets.
“Couldn’t sleep,” he replied.
Alec smirked slightly. “Does Anya have anything to do with this sudden bout of insomnia?” he asked wryly.
Xander chuckled. “Nope, her highness is sleeping quietly.”
Alec’s smirk grew. “Oh, so she does sleep,” he commented dryly.
Xander laughed. “Yeah, thank God for that,” he replied evenly.
Alec chuckled and then grew serious. “So what brings you to my door?” he asked.
Xander sighed.
“What happened down there? In the Deadlands?” he asked point-blank.
“Why?” Alec questioned back, frowning.
“Because I lost my best friend down there and the thought is giving me a wiggins,” he answered.
Alec sighed and nodded, it was a valid reason.
“Well, we got ambushed by a horde of zombies,” he began. “Willow and I were surrounded, they threatened to kill Angel and Buffy so we had to surrender. Then they took us into different rooms, mummified us and buried us.” He shrugged. “For some reason, I was able to go without oxygen longer than Willow was. When Buffy dug me out I was still conscious. Willow had…”
He swallowed painfully at the memory.
“Died?” Xander finished.
Alec nodded. “Yeah,” he whispered.
Xander shuddered slightly. “Must have been pretty awful, man.”
Alec nodded. “Worst feeling in the world,” he replied.
Xander nodded. “You really love her, don’t you?” he asked.
Alec frowned at the younger man; there was something in his tone he didn’t like.
“Of course I do. Have I somehow left that in doubt?” he asked, sounding mildly defensive.
Xander shook his head. “No, man, it’s cool; just… treat her right, okay?”
Alec’s eyes narrowed slightly and he slowly got to his feet. Xander caught the look.
“I’m not saying you’re not, Alec, relax. I’m just looking out for her, you know?”
“So am I,” Alec growled.
Xander nodded his head emphatically.
“I know, but there’s this weird thing going on between you and Dawn and no one’s sure what to make of it,” he replied.
Alec’s narrowed eyes narrowed a little more.
“Are you insinuating something, Xander?” he asked his voice soft and dangerous.
Xander shook his head.
“No, I’m not. I just… I know what it’s like when your heart is torn in two directions, and Willow deserves better than that.”
Alec had slowly been advancing on Xander; he was now within arms reach of the younger man. The carpenter began to back away, face a little pale.
“Understand this, Xander,” he growled.
Xander’s back hit the wall and he panicked slightly when he realized he was cornered.
“My heart truly and completely belongs to Willow, and any man that questions the validity of that love, questions my integrity and honor.” He got more and more closer to the other man. “Are you questioning that, Xander?” he asked, his voice gone from scary to downright lethal.
Xander blanched and shook his head.
“No, man,” he tried to smile. “I mean, hey, your word is good enough for me,” he replied hurriedly. “I just think-”
“Get out,” Alec bit out.
“Gone,” Xander replied without missing a beat. He turned and left the room.
Alec sighed and looked down at his arm, already blades were beginning to emerge from the skin. Exhaling hard, he allowed the rage to drain out of him. The blades vanished as he padded back to the bed and picked up the guitar. He was still too angry though.
I need some exercise, he decided and he growled, getting to his feet and jerking the door open with a snarl. Willow jumped back in alarm.
“Yikes!” she cried out.
Alec tripped over his own feet, so quickly had he put the brakes on his angry stride. He grunted as he landed against the wall.
“Willow!” he whispered in surprise.
Willow nodded. “Yes, that is me, Willow is who I am,” she replied. “You okay?”
Alec nodded and ran a hand through his hair. “Yeah, it’s just…”
“Xander?” she asked.
Alec’s eyes widened. “How did you…?”
“I saw him leaving your room white as a sheet,” she smiled slightly. “I figured he managed to get on your bad side and since that’s not an easy thing to do when, you know, someone’s not trying to kill you, I figured I better check up on you.”
Alec nodded and growled under his breath.
Willow sighed. “Oh boy, what did the great palooka say now?”
Alec sighed. “He questioned my devotion to you,” he replied.
Willow’s eyes widened then narrowed.
“Did he? Well, I think I should march right down to his bedroom and discuss the merits of minding his own damn business,” she snarled.
Alec’s eyes widened; she was PISSED! He put a hand on her shoulder.
“He’s got a good reason. He says… that there’s this bond between… Dawn and me,” he confessed looking away.
Willow rolled her eyes.
“Well, duh!” she exclaimed, exhaling hard and blowing a lock of hair from her eyes. “The two of you have a lot of love for each other, it’s obvious!”
Alec’s face whipped around to face her so hard she thought she heard his neck crack. His face had drained of all its color and he looked positively stricken. Willow took his hand in hers.
“Alec, you’ve never, not for one second since the day I met you, made me feel anything less than totally and completely loved.” She smiled teasingly. “I mean you and Dawn haven’t… you know?”
Alec’s face slid right into outraged indignation. “Of course not!” he cried.
Willow laughed at his vehemence.
“I know, silly, I was just giving you grief.” She smiled and patted his face. “The point is that you are that girl's whole world. And whether you like it or not, she’s a pretty big part of yours.”
Alec scowled. “And you don’t think this constitutes me betraying you?” he bit out, his voice saturated with self-loathing.
Willow’s eyes widened in understanding.
“Is THAT what all this has been about? Is that why whenever Dawn and I are together you walk on eggshells?” she asked incredulously.
Alec just nodded. Willow’s heart broke at the sight and at the thought of what the young man had been putting himself through.
“Ohh…” she cooed. Reaching out she rested his head on her shoulder, stroking his hair. “No wonder you’ve been such a wreck lately. Feeling all angsty and broody.”
Alec slowly wrapped his arms around her and held her tight.
“I don’t know what’s happening to me,” he whispered brokenly.
Willow shushed him gently.
“It’s okay, Alec. You and Dawn are you and Dawn. That, in no way, has anything to do with you and me.” She sighed and stroked his hair. “You’ve really been putting yourself through the wringer about this, haven’t you?” she asked gently.
Alec nodded and Willow sighed in sympathy, remembering how awful she felt when she’d cheated on Oz with Xander. They’d kissed and she felt terrible about it. From what Alec had told her, he hadn’t so much as even begun to make a move on the younger girl and he was STILL torturing himself.
“I know that you and her are tight, and I’m glad.” She smiled. “If Dawnie is as important to the world as everyone says, she needs someone to look out for her and I can’t think of anyone better for the job.”
She gently took his face in her hands.
“Alec, when I died, I could sense your pain. It was like… an atom bomb.” She shook her head.
“There’s no WAY that much pain could have come out unless what you and I had was genuine.” She kissed his forehead as he closed his eyes wearily. “And that’s good enough for me,” she finished.
Alec sighed and nuzzled her face gently; Willow smiled and stroked his hair.
“The point is, that if you really love someone, then you feel safe and secure in that knowledge,” she peered into his face intently, “and you listen to me right now, Alec Giles.” His eyes opened slowly. “I really, really love you,” she whispered fiercely.
Alec just nodded and held her. “I love you too, Willow,” he whispered back just as fiercely.
“And don’t think for one moment that I don’t know that,” she replied, her voice thick with emotion.
They held each other a while longer, then parted.
“What about Dawn?” Alec asked worriedly.
Willow smiled and patted his face affectionately.
“Buffy had Angel doing the ‘cryptic protect-o’ guy routine. I think Dawn could use the same.” She leveled a finger at him warningly. “But no smacky-mouth activity, all right?” she teased. “Love her from afar.”
Alec snorted and rolled his eyes.
“Thank you, but I did read ‘Lolita’ and I wasn’t very happy with the outcome,” he replied wryly as the tension drained out of his face.
Willow giggled.
“Good, because I’d have to turn you into a newt.” She made a face. “Plus, there’s the whole you being a hundred plus years older than her thing and that’s just icky.” She stuck out her tongue as Alec regarded her wryly.
“I’m a couple of decades older than YOU, too, princess,” he replied wryly.
Willow smiled and wrapped her arms around his neck.
“That’s okay.” She leaned down to kiss his neck, to which he made a rumbling sound of contentment. “I like older men anyhow,” she finished, laughing.
Gently she pushed him onto the bed and pounced on him.
The rest of Alec’s doubts and fears quickly fled.
“ ‘In the white room, with black curtains in the station’,” a voice sang out from the hallway.
Alec opened his eyes groggily and peered over at the clock, it was seven in the morning.
“What is that?” a weary voice called out from next to him.
He turned to look at the drowsy redhead next to him.
“Cream,” he replied wryly.
Gently he eased the girl from his shoulder and sat up in bed. She wrapped the sheet around her tightly as the voice got closer.
“ ‘In the white room’…” the voice cried out again.
Alec hurriedly tugged on a pair of black sweat pants just as the door burst open revealing…
“Dad?” Alec asked incredulously.
Willow ‘eek’-ed and dove under the blankets. Giles was in a serious state of dishevelment, carrying his shoes, t-shirt untucked and his jacket casually tossed over his shoulder. His singing abruptly stopped as he jumped back.
“Good lord, Alec,” he exhaled hard, “I thought you were going to be with Willow,” he breathed, his face turning red.
Alec rubbed a hand over the back of his neck.
“Actually…” he began.
Giles peered past him and his eyes widened as a slim hand came out from the blankets to wave at him.
“Hi, Giles,” Willow’s voice came out muffled from the blankets.
Giles coughed and averted his eyes.
“Yes, hello, Willow,” he replied hurriedly.
Alec grinned. “Dad, do you know what time it is?” he began.
Giles was turning an ever-deepening shade of crimson.
“Yes, well, I have an explanation for that,” he began.
“And that you were singing ‘White Room’ at the top of your lungs?” Alec added.
Giles looked ready to die. “Yes, well if you’ll just let me explain…”
Alec cut him off. “I have an explanation,” he grinned.
Giles blanched.
“Alec, surely, you can’t believe that I would have done anything inappropriate,” he stuttered.
Alec waved it away. “Oh, I know,” he reassured the older man.
Rupert sighed in relief.
“Ripper,” the younger Giles finished grinning.
There was a gale of laughter from under the sheets as Giles stammered out some sort of retort. Alec snorted and handed Willow’s jeans and underclothes to her under the sheet. She took them and began bustling about. Alec turned back to his father.
“I’m glad you had a good night, Dad,” he chuckled, shaking his head.
Giles finally regained control over his speech functions.
“Yes, well, don’t forget we have a lot of work to do today,” he admonished his son.
Alec nodded. “Oh, don’t worry, I’m all about the pursuit of knowledge,” he replied evenly.
There was a snort of derision from under the blankets.
“Sure, he’s all about pursuit,” Willow commented, peeking her head out from the blankets. “Hey, shirtless wonder! Think you can give a girl her bra please?” she batted his eyes at him.
Alec snorted and picked up the garment, examining it.
“Hmm, looks like I have managed to remember your measurements accurately,” he commented wryly.
Willow growled at him and snapped her hand out, snatching the garment from him and diving back under the blankets.
Giles gestured to the squirming lump under the blankets.
“It would appear that I am not alone in my… ‘good nights’,” he scowled at his son who waved him off.
“Yeah, but you’re the respectable one, remember? The role model?”
There were twin snorts of derision from Giles and Willow as the redhead snaked her hand out and snatched up her t-shirt from the floor. She finished dressing and finally came out from the blankets, her hair a complete mess. She put a hand to her head.
“Oh, not good,” she commented in her ‘I’m so very cute’ voice.
Alec smiled and patted her on the rump as she headed towards the bathroom. She shot him a challenging look over her shoulder as she headed haughtily into the bathroom, closing the door behind her.
A few minutes later Alec was in the library, his hand stretched out as the people who had bet on Giles and lost.
“Thank you, thank you, thank you,” he smiled and nodded courteously to each one of the Scoobies as they rolled their eyes at his slight smugness.
Faith was the last to place a wad of money in his hand.
“It figures - like father, like son,” she commented.
Alec snorted and tousled her hair. “Something like that, Faith.” He frowned. “How’s your back?”
She smiled and stretched.
“I actually think you may have gotten rid of a crick I’ve had in my back for ages.” She grinned and winked at him. “Better than a chiropractor,” she joked.
Alec smiled wryly. “Therapeutic beatings for everyone,” he assured her.
She laughed and headed off as he shook his head, chuckling, pocketing the money. He strode over to the table, upon which was a vast pile of books circled by Willow, Dawn, Giles, and Marlena. The latter two were glowing, sending each other secret looks. Alec had to visibly struggle not to make a comment. He pulled out an empty chair next to Willow, who looked up at him and shook her head.
Alec frowned in puzzlement as Willow gestured to the seat between herself and Dawn. Alec smiled gratefully and pulled back the chair. Dawn looked up at him and beamed happily. He smiled, and with a newfound confidence, reached out and gently chucked her chin affectionately. She giggled prettily as Willow rolled her eyes. Alec sat down between the two; Willow leaned over as he picked up a book and began reading.
“Charmer,” she whispered.
He didn’t look up at her, only smiled. She kissed his face before going back to her book. Giles took off his glasses and pointed at a passage in a book.
“Ah,” he declared, gesturing for attention, “I think I may have found something.”
Everyone looked up.
“What have you found, Rupert?” Marlena walked over to him, placing an affectionate hand on his shoulder.
Giles smiled slightly; Alec, Dawn and Willow sent each other knowing looks.
“Well, in the Kabbalah, the word for truth, in Hebrew anyhow, is ‘Emet.”
Alec shot Willow a look.
“The four-letter word for ‘truth’,” he breathed, remembering Oliver’s cryptic question.
Willow nodded. “That would make ‘Met’ the word for ‘death’?” she asked.
Giles nodded. “Well, actually Met means ‘dead,’ but, yes, that’s accurate.”
Alec frowned. “Okay, so riddle number one unlocked.” He shook his head. “But what does that have to do with the Wordless Psalm?”
Giles shook his head. “I’m really not sure, Alec.”
He looked up at the silver-haired witch-Slayer.
“Marlena, you said you know of an establishment where we could obtain some more information?”
Marlena nodded.
“Yes, Rupert, in Greenwich Village, to be more precise.” She smiled at him. “I’ll make sure you get the address,” she promised him. The Watcher smiled gratefully.
“Thank you. T-thank you, Marlena,” he stuttered a little, garnering a chuckle from Alec.
Giles shot his son a dirty look, at which the other just winked and went back to his book. Willow spoke up.
“So, that’s it then? We head back to the city.”
Dawn nodded. “Yeah, I mean, that sounds like what we have to do.” The young lady colored a little, she was still getting used to having a say in things. “I suppose,” she mumbled.
Willow reached behind Alec to stroke her hair affectionately.
“You’re absolutely right, Dawnie,” she smiled at younger girl.
Dawn grinned back at the witch as Alec just shook his head in amazement. Willow never failed to surprise him. Her compassion and understanding were limitless.
Giles cleared his throat. “Yes, well, time is of the essence.”
Willow and the others got to their feet. “I’ll get Xander,” she told him.
Alec pulled on his coat. “I’ll round up the others,” he added.
Dawn got her backpack. “I’ll uh… help him… round up the others, that is,” she mumbled.
Alec and Willow shot each other wry looks before Alec tousled Dawn’s hair affectionately.
“Thanks, petite, I could use the help,” he lied.
She smiled a look of pure sunshine at him. Chuckling quietly, the three filed out of the room to attend to their appointed tasks.
An hour later, everyone was on the bus. Giles and Marlena were saying their goodbyes.
“I’ll call you as soon as I get to the city,” Giles promised.
Marlena cracked a wry grin. “They always promise to call,” she teased.
Giles opened his mouth to protest and the woman placed a hand over it.
“It’s all right, Rupert, I know you’ll call.”
Smiling she leaned in and kissed him. After a while they parted, Marlena focused on something beyond the former librarian’s shoulder and chuckled. Giles turned to see the faces of everyone on the bus pressed up against the glass, watching them intently. He scowled at them. Alec smirked and made a few comments and the group dispersed reluctantly, but not before flashing him smiles or thumbs-ups. Giles rolled his eyes and blushed slightly, taking off his glasses before looking back at Marlena.
“Last night was… very special,” he whispered, his voice full of meaning.
Marlena nodded. “It’s been a while, hasn’t it?” she asked.
Giles’ eyes widened. “What do you mean?” he asked.
Marlena threw her head back and laughed.
“Not like that, Rupert. I mean it’s been a while since you’ve been close to someone.”
Giles was still blushing but he nodded. Marlena smiled and touched his cheek.
“Then I’m honored,” she replied.
Giles cleared his throat and, replacing his glasses on his face, took her hand and kissed it. She smiled slightly as he gave her hand a squeeze. He smiled awkwardly.
“Y-yes, well, do take care of yourself,” he stuttered.
Marlena nodded. “You, too, Rupert,” she replied.
Flashing another bashful smile, Rupert climbed up the stairs leading into the camper. Everyone was regarding him with wry looks. He sighed and scowled at them.
“Oh, push off!” he growled.
There was a round of laughter as Xander dropped himself into the driver's seat and started the engine. Giles sat down next to his smirking son.
“I say, well done, old man,” Alec commented wryly.
Giles shot him an admonishing look before the bus pulled away. Marlena held her hand up in farewell and Giles turned just in time to see it. He smiled and waved back and kept watching her until the bus turned a corner and she disappeared from sight.
Chapter 4 - Wedding Present
Disclaimer: All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended.
Timeline: Immediately follows Book 1: Dusk
Rating: TV-14 (nothing worse than on the show)
Pairing/Characters: Buffy/Spike, Willow/Dusk(OC), Xander/Anya, Giles/Marlena(OC), Dawn, Faith, Angel, Dracula
Book One: Dusk (all chapters)
Previous chapter of Midnight
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Hellmouth Ascendant Trilogy: Revamped Edition
Book Two:
Midnight
Chapter 3
Action
“Giles’ got a date! Giles’ got a date!”
Buffy was chanting at the top of her lungs as she danced around the blushing watcher. Alec was leaning against the wall to their chambers, smirking wryly and taking in the whole scene with great bemusement. Finally, he decided to intervene on his father’s behalf.
“Yo, brat!” he called out.
Buffy whirled around, still grinning like a lunatic.
“Yeah, big brother?” she asked cutely.
Alec gestured with his thumb out the door.
“Scram. Dad’s got to get ready for his…” he cast a look at his father who was regarding him with grave concern, “…engagement,” he finished diplomatically.
The older man sighed in relief and cleared his throat.
“Alec is quite right, Buffy, so if you wouldn’t mind…?” he gestured to the door.
She grinned and bounded over to his kiss his cheek.
“Good luck, Giles. Remember, women like excitement and passion. Do NOT begin the evening with how your hobbies include cross-referencing.” She pointed a finger at his nose warningly.
Alec stifled a chuckle as Giles sighed indulgently.
“Yes, thank you, Buffy. I’m sure your advice will prove quite useful.”
There was enough sarcasm in the older man’s voice to fill a teacup. She grinned cheekily at him and bounded over to Alec. He leaned in closer as she gestured for him to come nearer.
“Faith’s starting a betting pool. Wager being how far Giles gets with Marlena. You in?” she whispered, cupping her hand over his ear.
Alec snorted. “Ah, youth,” he replied haughtily.
She looked at him and pouted. Alec grinned and placed a hand over his sister's ear.
“Put me in for a ten spot that says he doesn’t make it back home tonight,” he replied grinning.
She bobbed her head, flashed him a thumbs up and bounded out of the room. Giles sighed.
“Yes, well, with any luck, the lot of them will be taking wagers on whether or not I’ll be sleeping in my own bed tonight,” he commented dryly.
Alec did a pretty good job of not roaring with laughter.
“Oh, come now, father. What kind of immature children do you take the defenders of humanity to be?” he asked, deadpan.
Giles just glared at his son.
Alec chuckled and walked over to a large closet, opening it to reveal a cornucopia of men’s clothing. He placed a finger to his lip thoughtfully.
“Now, what to wear…?”
After sending his father away attired in blue jeans, a white t-shirt, black sports coat and shoes, Alec wandered into the arcade, peered in and grinned. Willow was by herself, playing Skee-ball. Chuckling, the young man stealthily padded over to her. Willow picked up another ball and took aim.
“Give me that fifty-point pocket,” she whispered before letting the ball fly.
The ball rolled up the ramp, took off and landed squarely into the fifty-point pocket.
“Yes!” she grinned, pumping her fist.
She turned back to the ramp and her squeal of glee quickly became a squawk of surprise as a shadowy hand emerged from the fifty-point pocket, hoisted the ball and tossed it back down the ramp.
“What the…?” the young woman commented.
She spun around to encounter her grinning boyfriend.
“Alec!” she swatted him playfully.
He shrugged. “When you got it, flaunt it,” he offered as his only defense.
“Tampering with Skee-ball is blasphemy of the highest order. Didn’t you see ‘Dogma’?” she frowned at him.
Alec smirked.
“Yes, and if Alanis Morissette shows up, she can tell me that tampering with Skee-ball is blasphemy. Until such time…” He grinned and spread his hands.
Willow grinned and tossed the ball away from her, wrapping her arms around him.
“Did Giles get all set up for his date?” she asked.
Alec nodded. “Looking very GQ,” he replied.
She smiled wryly. “Giles as GQ material? I don’t think my imagination can stretch that way.”
Alec snorted wryly. “I know he seems like Captain Tweed nine times out of ten, but every now and then…” he chuckled. “Well, Dad’s got a wild side.”
Willow nodded. “Sometimes a little too wild.”
She smiled and tilted her chin to peer up into his dark eyes.
“I’m glad I got the nice, boring Giles,” she teased.
Alec’s eyes widened. “Oh is that right?” he purred.
She grinned, knowing she was in trouble.
“That’s RIIII-aie!”
She squealed as he picked her bodily up off her feet and laid her flat atop the Skee-ball ramp. She peered up at him, mock-quizzically.
“Okay, wise guy, and just what do you plan on doing?” she asked demurely.
He grinned and reached behind him, producing a Skee-ball. Without getting up from atop her, without even looking, he rolled the ball up the ramp where it landed solidly into the fifty-point pocket. The little lights began flashing the words HIGH SCORE. Alec grinned down at her.
“Take a guess,” he purred as he kissed her neck.
The redhead stretched out in lazy ecstasy underneath him.
“Got to hand it to you, Alec,” she whispered as he kissed her ear. “When you’re good, you’re GOOOOD…”
The last word came out in a shudder of pleasure as he found a particularly sensitive spot behind her ear.
“Wait till you see me bad,” he whispered huskily, his hands beginning to roam. “I’m even better.”
There were no sounds of arguments.
Some time later, the disheveled pair found their friends in a large gymnasium. Willow just shook her head in amazement.
“This place has everything,” she commented.
“It does look that way,” Alec replied, nodding.
There were several large pads set up on the floor and there was what looked like some kind of boxing tournament going on.
“Check out the action,” Alec commented, sitting down on the floor next to Xander and watching Spike and Faith circling each other, trading blows.
Alec leaned over to the carpenter. “What’s the deal?” he asked.
Xander pointed.
“We’re having a contest to see who’s the toughest Scooby.” He counted off his fingers. “So far the running is Buffy, Faith, Spike and Angel.”
Alec looked at him surprised. “You’re not getting involved?” he asked in polite surprise.
The younger man shook his head emphatically.
“It’s weird, I got this thing about having my skeleton destroyed,” he replied wryly.
Anya was snuggled up against him and was now peering over at Alec, frowning.
“Yeah, besides, I don’t want him to get hurt; he’s fragile and tends to bruise easily,” she commented.
Xander sighed and placed a hand over his eyes.
“Thank you for that fresh infusion of humiliation, Ahn. I needed that.”
Anya smiled and patted his arm.
“You’re welcome,” she replied perkily, completely missing the sarcasm.
Alec frowned as Spike landed a pretty impressive kick to the side of Faith’s head.
“Hold up a second.” He gestured to the blond vampire. “Shouldn’t he be suffering a massive Excedrin headache right about now?”
Xander shook his head.
“Nope. Apparently his chip doesn’t kick in unless there’s intent to kill.”
Suddenly Spike’s head was snapped around hard as Faith backhanded him. Spike’s face changed and, with a roar, he charged the Slayer, only to yowl in pain and bring both hands to his head.
“Like now?” Alec asked.
“Uh-yup,” Xander replied.
Faith casually swept his feet out from under him and imitated a staking.
“That’s time, Blondie. You’re dust.”
She peered down grinning. Spike sighed, his head hitting the mat, his face changing.
“Bloody chip,” he snarled.
Faith got to her feet and offered her hand. Spike frowned wryly but took her hand as she helped him up. Faith chuckled and turned to the crowd, her eyes widened as she discovered Alec.
“Hey, D! Get in here!” she called out.
Alec shook his head. “No thanks, I only gamble with my life, not my pride,” he chuckled.
There were jeers from the crowd. Faith grinned.
“Come on, D, this is just for fun,” she pleaded.
Alec looked around… and with a sigh got to his feet. Everyone cheered for the martial artist. Stripping off his coat and t-shirt and kicking off his shoes, he padded over to the waiting Faith. She eyed his well-defined form admiringly.
“I think I’m going to enjoy this,” she bit her tongue in pleasure.
Alec sighed indulgently. Faith looked back up at his face.
“Okay, no powers, and no spikes, please. I don’t want to get skewered or something,” she warned.
“Not a problem,” he replied evenly, nodding once and settling into a fighting stance.
Faith grinned and readied her hands.
“And, D? Don’t hold back, okay?” she asked wryly.
Alec only nodded and, with a grunt, Faith attacked.
She came in high with a roundhouse kick, but she telegraphed the move. Alec ducked and sent an open palm strike to her solar plexus, knocking the wind out of her and sending her stumbling back. Gingerly rubbing her stomach, she grinned at him.
“Ohh, yeah, this is going to be better than sex,” she purred.
Alec just winked as Willow debated whether or not to correct the scarred Slayer. Faith spun around with a spinning backhand; Alec blocked and sent a double hand strike to her torso, knocking her back. The only way he was going to beat a Slayer was to keep his distance and to wear her down. Faith chuckled and spun around, delivering another kick; Alec dodged, but was unprepared for the fist that followed, catching him across the jaw and sending his head rocking back. There were exclamations from the crowd as Alec rubbed his jaw and grinned.
“Enjoy it, Faith, you’re not going to land another,” he promised.
Faith just grinned back at him and attacked. This time Alec was prepared; leaning back with the attack, he flipped backwards and sent his feet careening into Faith's chin, knocking her back hard. He completed the flip and whipped around with a devastating roundhouse kick; the blow connected to Faith’s head and sent her spinning to the mat.
“Go, Alec!” Willow chanted.
“Come on, Faith!” Angel yelled out.
Buffy just smirked watching the pair. Faith was stronger, but Alec was far better trained and faster than the girl. Faith spun around, Alec was doing the honorable thing and letting her collect herself before attacking again. This was, after all, just for fun. Faith smiled slightly; she knew he was cutting her a break and despite herself she appreciated it. Getting to her feet, she grinned.
“Damn, D, that was smooth,” she complimented.
He nodded humbly. Faith chuckled and came at him again, this time doing her best to close the distance between them where his acrobatics would be useless. Alec wasn’t having any of it; rather than trying to stand still and slug it out with a Slayer, he danced around, bobbing and weaving, letting her exert all her energy hitting air.
“Float like a butterfly, sting like a bee!” Xander yelled out.
Dawn was taking all this in with obvious admiration. Alec really was beautiful when he fought; he made it all look like a dance.
Finally, Faith got frustrated and launched a right hook that was far too wide; Alec grinned and, rather than pulling away, he closed the distance between them, hitting her with two quick strikes to the face, leaving her dazed. Placing both his hands on her shoulders, he pushed off the ground with a bound and did a handstand on top of the completely bewildered Slayer. Careful not to jerk her neck around too hard the wrong way, he pivoted and brought his whole body slamming hard down into her lower back. His knees found the backs of her knees, causing her to fold in on herself. She yelled out in surprise as he quickly folded her up into an unbreakable body lock/head lock. She struggled for a few minutes, then sighed and tapped out. Alec quickly released her and helped her to her feet. She groaned, rubbing her back.
“Okay, D, you got me,” she admitted grinning. She shook her head in amazement. “That was wild. How did you do that?” she asked.
Alec shrugged.
“I picked it up a while ago, usually the twist at the top is done a lot harder and the whole thing is done faster, but…” he shrugged and Faith got the point.
“I see. Well, thanks for not snapping my neck,” she grinned.
“Thanks for not breaking my face,” he replied courteously.
She grinned and patted his face.
“Damage THIS face? Never!” she grinned and blew him a kiss.
He rolled his eyes as she limped away, massaging her sore back. Alec turned to the crowd that was applauding both his performance and his sportsmanship. He held up his hands humbly.
“Not a big deal. Can I go now?” he asked wryly.
“No,” a voice called out.
Someone new entered the ring.
Alec sighed. “Oh, boy, I’m in trouble now.”
Buffy grinned as she settled into a fighting stance.
“Afraid so,” she replied grinning.
Alec readied his hands; his sister was a lot better trained and disciplined than Faith was. After all, Alec himself had taught her a few moves. This was not going to be easy.
Buffy knew her brother preferred to let the opponent make the first move. He’d always taught her that by that first strike, you could learn everything you needed to know about beating the other guy. She smiled slightly and rather than leading out with her right fist, which she was prone to do and no doubt he’d be expecting, she back pivoted and came around with her left.
Alec however, knew his sister well and was expecting the change of tactics; a hand was already out to intercept the blow. He caught her hand and jerked it towards him, snapping out two quick kicks to her solar plexus in rapid succession. He was working on a third when Buffy caught his foot and heaved, sending him flying backwards; he rolled with it and landed easily and lightly on the balls of his feet.
“Alec scores the first point!” Xander yelled.
“And his last,” Buffy added, not unfriendly.
Alec winked and shifted tactics, changing from his preferred style of Wushu to Muy Thai. Coming in with elbows and knees, he launched into a complicated attack sequence. Buffy blocked the blows, but in doing so weakened herself. Alec suddenly switched out of Muy Thai and snatched both her arms in his; pulling her down and falling down onto his back, he planted a foot to her stomach and sent her flying away. She hit the ground and rolled, getting to her feet smoothly.
“Nice toss,” she commented.
“Nice recovery,” he replied evenly.
Spike snorted. “If the two siblings are done stroking each other egos perhaps we can get back to the violence?” he yelled.
The pair grinned at each other.
“Well, you know the first rule of showbiz,” Buffy began, advancing on her older brother.
“Give the people what they want,” Alec finished, meeting her advance.
Buffy snapped out her trademark roundhouse kick. Alec had seen it a million times before and ducked, bringing a hand up against her jaw. Unfortunately for him, he’d overextended the blow, causing Buffy’s head to snap back out of range for his follow-up strike. She recovered quickly and, catching his arm, lashed out with two strong blows to his chest. Alec grunted, but was still grinning as he blocked the third blow and, bringing his knee up hard, unfolded his leg and caught Buffy in a kick that gave him some distance from the Slayer. He was now regarding his sister with a great deal more wariness. He couldn’t play the defensive tactic and win, like he had with Faith; he had to press the offensive and that meant getting close.
Swinging his legs around in a spinning cartwheel, he landed before the blonde and whipped out a roundhouse kick; the blow connected and Buffy rocked backwards. Alec followed it up with three strikes to her chest and waist, being very careful not to hit her wounds. Buffy did a split and lashed out with a jab, catching him in the stomach; she wasn’t about to hit her own brother below the belt so to speak. Alec fell back a little and Buffy did a handspring, spinning her legs around and catching Alec across the face with both feet. He rocked backwards and almost fell before righting himself.
“Come on, Alec!” Dawn yelled out.
Alec straightened and regarded Buffy calmly; his eyes clear, his face neutral. Buffy saw the look and tensed; Alec was through playing, he wasn’t going to hurt her, but he was going to fight to win. Buffy came at him with three blows one right after the other. Alec blocked them all and thrust a palm to her chest, knocking her back. Before she could react, he did a slide kick and nailed her square in the chest, knocking the wind from her. She groaned a little; that kick had had a lot of oomph behind it. She made sure Alec didn’t look angry; if that were the case she’d have called it all off. But his face remained calm and composed, merely determined. Inwardly she smiled; she really didn’t give her brother enough credit.
Alec lashed out with a spinning back-fist; Buffy caught it and hit him several times in the floating ribs. Alec grunted and, reversing his grip, snatched her arm. Using her body for leverage, he jerked his legs up in a switchblade kick, catching her under the chin hard. She swooned and fell back. He landed and pressed the attack, spinning himself like a tornado and lashed out with feet and fists; Buffy fell back against the onslaught. Finally, he finished by doing a full-split and lashing out with a fist to her stomach. The blow connected and Buffy folded over. Rolling onto his back, he snaked out with his legs, wrapping them around the Slayer's neck; pushing up with his hands, he did a handstand, hoisting her in the air before slamming Buffy down onto the mat hard. He released his grip on her neck and rolled away. Buffy cautiously got to her feet, rubbing her neck and trying to clear the stars from her vision.
“That was new,” she commented dryly.
Alec just nodded and Buffy attacked. Blow after blow, block and counter-block, the sound of feet and fists connecting was almost deafening. The pair sprang away form each other; Buffy’s blue eyes shining with determination, Alec’s dark eyes blazing with intensity. Leaping at each other, they flew and collided in mid air, Buffy with a blow to his jaw, and Alec snapping a high kick to her stomach. They landed in a heap and rolled away from each other, both panting slightly. Alec got his wind back first and, with a running leap, back-flipped towards the Slayer, did a handspring, and managed to land behind her. She turned just in time to get a fist in the face as Alec began an onslaught of blows, raining them upon her head. He finished by leaping high into the air and pivoting his whole body, she looked up just as he plowed into her like a rocket headfirst. Slamming her head down onto the mat, Alec pushed off her prone body and leaped away.
Buffy growled and sprang to her feet. Alec was already charging, but Buffy lashed out with a kick to his knees, sending him stumbling forward; with a grunt Buffy shot her fist out and caught her older brother across the face. He groaned and fell back as Buffy snapped out three fast kicks to his head before knocking his feet out from under him. He fell hard and rolled away just in time to miss an axe kick. He sprang to his feet and whirled around and leaping into the air, soared over Buffy’s head, he tucked his body into a ball and rotated; catching his feet against the wall, he pushed off hard and slammed into Buffy with the force of a freight train. She fell to the ground hard as he rolled away.
“Okay, this has gone on long enough…” Xander began, starting to look more than a little worried at the punishment the pair were doling out to each other.
The siblings ignored him and, with twin roars of defiance, charged at each other, meeting in a blur of feet and fists. The exchange was too quick to follow with the human eye. Finally, tangling their arms in one another, Slayer and Weapon slammed their heads into each other. There were groans from the audience as both Alec and Buffy fell to the mat.
Xander gaped. “Whoa, double K.O.”
He turned and shrugged apologetically to the audience, who had been regarding the intense fight with awe. Buffy and Alec both struggled to their feet, neither particularly steadily and turned to each other.
“Draw?” Buffy asked.
“Draw,” Alec replied, smiling slightly.
Stumbling over to each other, they hugged tightly as everyone cheered. Buffy pushed away to regard her brother in amazement.
“Where did you learn all that flying stuff?” she asked.
Alec grinned.
“It’s a combination of Ninjitsu and Spanish matador maneuvers,” he shrugged. “Seemed like a good idea at the time.”
Buffy chuckled and wrapped an arm around his shoulders. “That it was.”
Alec turned to her and gingerly rubbed his jaw.
“What about you, sis? You hit like a ton of bricks,” he commented dryly.
Buffy grinned and held up her hand.
“And I didn’t even crack a nail,” she quipped.
Alec laughed and tousled her hair as the rest of the gang came up to the fighters.
“That was…” Xander began.
“Really cool,” Dawn finished, beaming at Alec, who smiled warmly at her.
“To think, all this time I’ve been wasting playing ‘Mortal Kombat,” Spike commented wryly.
Buffy chuckled as Spike wrapped an arm around her. It was only through Alec’s and Buffy’s expertise and discipline that neither of them was seriously injured. Willow wrapped an arm around her man as Dawn handed him a towel.
“Thanks, petite,” Alec said as he flashed her his ‘melt your insides’ smile.
She blushed and scampered off. Alec chuckled and mopped his forehead.
“Wow,” Willow whispered awestruck.
Alec turned to her frowning. “What? You’ve seen me fight,” he commented puzzled.
She shook her head.
“Not like that, with the ‘whoosh’ and the flipping and the jumping.” She grinned like a kid at Christmas. “My boyfriend is Darth Maul,” she chuckled as Alec kissed her forehead.
“Your boyfriend needs a shower,” he replied wryly.
Willow pouted demurely. “Can I come?” she asked, her lower lip jutted out suggestively.
Alec laughed and kissed her face.
“Thanks, but I’ve endured one beating today, no need for two,” he grinned teasingly.
She swatted at him as he chuckled and headed back to follow the others, his hand in hers.
A few hours later, Alec padded into the poolroom, not surprised to see Buffy soaking in the hot tub. She smiled up at him.
“Hey, bro,” she grinned.
Alec waved a little and gently sank into the hot water opposite her.
“Ah… ah… ahhhhhhh…” he sighed in pleasure, sinking almost to his chin in the foamy water.
Buffy laughed.
“Yeah, me too,” she chuckled and patted his shoulder.
He had his eyes closed and had draped a black washcloth over his face as the water massaged his aching muscles.
“We must protect the world for the sake of Jacuzzis,” he commented, his voice muffled from the cloth.
Buffy nodded. “It is our sacred duty,” she replied wryly.
There was a silence.
“Alec?”
“Hmmm?”
“How come you and I… you know, never got together?”
There was a longer silence as Alec slowly picked up one corner of the cloth to peer at Buffy who was looking right at him.
“Don’t worry, I’m not insinuating anything,” she added hurriedly. “I was honestly just curious.”
Taking her words at face value, Alec considered.
“Well, if I had to pick any one reason, I think it would be that I couldn’t fight alongside someone I was involved with,” he replied after a long pause.
Buffy frowned. “But you and Willow…”
Alec shook his head.
“Willow usually hangs back or stays out of the fighting completely. I try to make sure of that. You and I are on the front lines.” He shook his head. “I couldn’t fight if I was worried about you.”
“And you’re not worried about me as my brother?” she asked petulantly.
Alec shrugged. “My logic outweighs my emotions on that one; I know you can take care of yourself.”
“And if we were involved?”
Alec snorted.
“Goodbye logic, hello massive overprotective instinct,” he replied wryly, draping the cloth over his face.
Buffy considered that.
“So you’re saying that you wouldn’t date anyone that you fought beside, because your protective instinct would overrule your brain?” she asked.
“Mm-hmm,” he replied.
There was another long pause as Alec peeked out of the cloth.
“Incidentally, why do you ask?”
Buffy sighed and looked down.
“I’m thinking about ending things with Spike,” she replied quietly.
If she was expecting massive surprise she was sorely disappointed.
“Angel?” he asked simply.
“Yeah,” she whispered.
Alec sighed and took the cloth off his face, lifting his head off the rim of the hot tub.
“Spill, sis,” he implored gently.
Buffy took a deep breath.
“I think I may still love Angel, and I can’t be with Spike if I do. Plus, I keep finding myself worrying about Spike and that chip in his head, wondering if some night I’m going to get into a fight that he can’t help me with. I don’t want him to have to endure that feeling of helplessness.”
She looked up at Alec, who was regarding her thoughtfully.
“I’m listening,” he replied quietly.
“I don’t know what I need right now, or who I need to be with.” Buffy sighed and looked very unhappy. “I don’t know anything.”
Alec wordlessly sloshed over to his sister and wrapped his arms around her. She sighed and rested her head against his shoulder.
“I don’t know what to do, Alec, I’m so confused,” she whispered.
Alec snorted. “Join the bloody club,” he commented dryly.
Stroking his sister’s wet hair he gently placed a reassuring kiss on her head.
“It’s going to be okay,” he promised her.
Buffy clung to him desperately.
“Is it wrong to love two people?” she asked.
Alec snorted in self-derision. “Don’t I wish I knew the answer to that one.”
Buffy looked up at him. “What do you mean?” she inquired suddenly.
Alec realizing his blunder, shifted around his tactics.
“Well, if I knew the answer to that, there would be a lot of people I could advise,” he replied smoothly.
Buffy sighed and leaned against him. “I suppose,” she mumbled.
Smiling slightly, she gave her brother a tight squeeze.
“Just don’t you get all weird on me, I need someone I know I can count on.”
Alec smiled and returned the hug.
“No worries, love. I am Mister Reliable,” he commented sardonically.
Buffy snorted. “I know I’ve heard that one before.”
Alec chuckled, but then frowned.
“Out of curiosity, how did this conversation begin with you asking me why we didn’t date?” he asked puzzled.
Buffy laughed quietly. “It seemed like a good idea at the time,” she responded.
Alec snorted wryly. “I know I’ve heard that one before,” he repeated her words.
She laughed and splashed him.
“Oh, you did NOT!” Alec cried and splashed her back.
Before long the pair was engaged in a truly vicious splashing match.
Competitive to the end.
Alec was in his bedchambers a little while later. It was late; most everyone had either gone to sleep or otherwise retired for the evening. He was strumming his dad’s guitar aimlessly. With a start, he checked his watch; then grinned.
Looks like I win the pool, he thought dryly. There was a knock on the door.
“Come,” Alec called out.
The door opened and Xander stepped through.
“Hey, man,” he commented.
Alec frowned, puzzled. What could Xander want at this hour?
“Hey,” he replied cautiously, setting the guitar down next to him. “What’s up?”
Xander exhaled and stuffed his hands in his pockets.
“Couldn’t sleep,” he replied.
Alec smirked slightly. “Does Anya have anything to do with this sudden bout of insomnia?” he asked wryly.
Xander chuckled. “Nope, her highness is sleeping quietly.”
Alec’s smirk grew. “Oh, so she does sleep,” he commented dryly.
Xander laughed. “Yeah, thank God for that,” he replied evenly.
Alec chuckled and then grew serious. “So what brings you to my door?” he asked.
Xander sighed.
“What happened down there? In the Deadlands?” he asked point-blank.
“Why?” Alec questioned back, frowning.
“Because I lost my best friend down there and the thought is giving me a wiggins,” he answered.
Alec sighed and nodded, it was a valid reason.
“Well, we got ambushed by a horde of zombies,” he began. “Willow and I were surrounded, they threatened to kill Angel and Buffy so we had to surrender. Then they took us into different rooms, mummified us and buried us.” He shrugged. “For some reason, I was able to go without oxygen longer than Willow was. When Buffy dug me out I was still conscious. Willow had…”
He swallowed painfully at the memory.
“Died?” Xander finished.
Alec nodded. “Yeah,” he whispered.
Xander shuddered slightly. “Must have been pretty awful, man.”
Alec nodded. “Worst feeling in the world,” he replied.
Xander nodded. “You really love her, don’t you?” he asked.
Alec frowned at the younger man; there was something in his tone he didn’t like.
“Of course I do. Have I somehow left that in doubt?” he asked, sounding mildly defensive.
Xander shook his head. “No, man, it’s cool; just… treat her right, okay?”
Alec’s eyes narrowed slightly and he slowly got to his feet. Xander caught the look.
“I’m not saying you’re not, Alec, relax. I’m just looking out for her, you know?”
“So am I,” Alec growled.
Xander nodded his head emphatically.
“I know, but there’s this weird thing going on between you and Dawn and no one’s sure what to make of it,” he replied.
Alec’s narrowed eyes narrowed a little more.
“Are you insinuating something, Xander?” he asked his voice soft and dangerous.
Xander shook his head.
“No, I’m not. I just… I know what it’s like when your heart is torn in two directions, and Willow deserves better than that.”
Alec had slowly been advancing on Xander; he was now within arms reach of the younger man. The carpenter began to back away, face a little pale.
“Understand this, Xander,” he growled.
Xander’s back hit the wall and he panicked slightly when he realized he was cornered.
“My heart truly and completely belongs to Willow, and any man that questions the validity of that love, questions my integrity and honor.” He got more and more closer to the other man. “Are you questioning that, Xander?” he asked, his voice gone from scary to downright lethal.
Xander blanched and shook his head.
“No, man,” he tried to smile. “I mean, hey, your word is good enough for me,” he replied hurriedly. “I just think-”
“Get out,” Alec bit out.
“Gone,” Xander replied without missing a beat. He turned and left the room.
Alec sighed and looked down at his arm, already blades were beginning to emerge from the skin. Exhaling hard, he allowed the rage to drain out of him. The blades vanished as he padded back to the bed and picked up the guitar. He was still too angry though.
I need some exercise, he decided and he growled, getting to his feet and jerking the door open with a snarl. Willow jumped back in alarm.
“Yikes!” she cried out.
Alec tripped over his own feet, so quickly had he put the brakes on his angry stride. He grunted as he landed against the wall.
“Willow!” he whispered in surprise.
Willow nodded. “Yes, that is me, Willow is who I am,” she replied. “You okay?”
Alec nodded and ran a hand through his hair. “Yeah, it’s just…”
“Xander?” she asked.
Alec’s eyes widened. “How did you…?”
“I saw him leaving your room white as a sheet,” she smiled slightly. “I figured he managed to get on your bad side and since that’s not an easy thing to do when, you know, someone’s not trying to kill you, I figured I better check up on you.”
Alec nodded and growled under his breath.
Willow sighed. “Oh boy, what did the great palooka say now?”
Alec sighed. “He questioned my devotion to you,” he replied.
Willow’s eyes widened then narrowed.
“Did he? Well, I think I should march right down to his bedroom and discuss the merits of minding his own damn business,” she snarled.
Alec’s eyes widened; she was PISSED! He put a hand on her shoulder.
“He’s got a good reason. He says… that there’s this bond between… Dawn and me,” he confessed looking away.
Willow rolled her eyes.
“Well, duh!” she exclaimed, exhaling hard and blowing a lock of hair from her eyes. “The two of you have a lot of love for each other, it’s obvious!”
Alec’s face whipped around to face her so hard she thought she heard his neck crack. His face had drained of all its color and he looked positively stricken. Willow took his hand in hers.
“Alec, you’ve never, not for one second since the day I met you, made me feel anything less than totally and completely loved.” She smiled teasingly. “I mean you and Dawn haven’t… you know?”
Alec’s face slid right into outraged indignation. “Of course not!” he cried.
Willow laughed at his vehemence.
“I know, silly, I was just giving you grief.” She smiled and patted his face. “The point is that you are that girl's whole world. And whether you like it or not, she’s a pretty big part of yours.”
Alec scowled. “And you don’t think this constitutes me betraying you?” he bit out, his voice saturated with self-loathing.
Willow’s eyes widened in understanding.
“Is THAT what all this has been about? Is that why whenever Dawn and I are together you walk on eggshells?” she asked incredulously.
Alec just nodded. Willow’s heart broke at the sight and at the thought of what the young man had been putting himself through.
“Ohh…” she cooed. Reaching out she rested his head on her shoulder, stroking his hair. “No wonder you’ve been such a wreck lately. Feeling all angsty and broody.”
Alec slowly wrapped his arms around her and held her tight.
“I don’t know what’s happening to me,” he whispered brokenly.
Willow shushed him gently.
“It’s okay, Alec. You and Dawn are you and Dawn. That, in no way, has anything to do with you and me.” She sighed and stroked his hair. “You’ve really been putting yourself through the wringer about this, haven’t you?” she asked gently.
Alec nodded and Willow sighed in sympathy, remembering how awful she felt when she’d cheated on Oz with Xander. They’d kissed and she felt terrible about it. From what Alec had told her, he hadn’t so much as even begun to make a move on the younger girl and he was STILL torturing himself.
“I know that you and her are tight, and I’m glad.” She smiled. “If Dawnie is as important to the world as everyone says, she needs someone to look out for her and I can’t think of anyone better for the job.”
She gently took his face in her hands.
“Alec, when I died, I could sense your pain. It was like… an atom bomb.” She shook her head.
“There’s no WAY that much pain could have come out unless what you and I had was genuine.” She kissed his forehead as he closed his eyes wearily. “And that’s good enough for me,” she finished.
Alec sighed and nuzzled her face gently; Willow smiled and stroked his hair.
“The point is, that if you really love someone, then you feel safe and secure in that knowledge,” she peered into his face intently, “and you listen to me right now, Alec Giles.” His eyes opened slowly. “I really, really love you,” she whispered fiercely.
Alec just nodded and held her. “I love you too, Willow,” he whispered back just as fiercely.
“And don’t think for one moment that I don’t know that,” she replied, her voice thick with emotion.
They held each other a while longer, then parted.
“What about Dawn?” Alec asked worriedly.
Willow smiled and patted his face affectionately.
“Buffy had Angel doing the ‘cryptic protect-o’ guy routine. I think Dawn could use the same.” She leveled a finger at him warningly. “But no smacky-mouth activity, all right?” she teased. “Love her from afar.”
Alec snorted and rolled his eyes.
“Thank you, but I did read ‘Lolita’ and I wasn’t very happy with the outcome,” he replied wryly as the tension drained out of his face.
Willow giggled.
“Good, because I’d have to turn you into a newt.” She made a face. “Plus, there’s the whole you being a hundred plus years older than her thing and that’s just icky.” She stuck out her tongue as Alec regarded her wryly.
“I’m a couple of decades older than YOU, too, princess,” he replied wryly.
Willow smiled and wrapped her arms around his neck.
“That’s okay.” She leaned down to kiss his neck, to which he made a rumbling sound of contentment. “I like older men anyhow,” she finished, laughing.
Gently she pushed him onto the bed and pounced on him.
The rest of Alec’s doubts and fears quickly fled.
“ ‘In the white room, with black curtains in the station’,” a voice sang out from the hallway.
Alec opened his eyes groggily and peered over at the clock, it was seven in the morning.
“What is that?” a weary voice called out from next to him.
He turned to look at the drowsy redhead next to him.
“Cream,” he replied wryly.
Gently he eased the girl from his shoulder and sat up in bed. She wrapped the sheet around her tightly as the voice got closer.
“ ‘In the white room’…” the voice cried out again.
Alec hurriedly tugged on a pair of black sweat pants just as the door burst open revealing…
“Dad?” Alec asked incredulously.
Willow ‘eek’-ed and dove under the blankets. Giles was in a serious state of dishevelment, carrying his shoes, t-shirt untucked and his jacket casually tossed over his shoulder. His singing abruptly stopped as he jumped back.
“Good lord, Alec,” he exhaled hard, “I thought you were going to be with Willow,” he breathed, his face turning red.
Alec rubbed a hand over the back of his neck.
“Actually…” he began.
Giles peered past him and his eyes widened as a slim hand came out from the blankets to wave at him.
“Hi, Giles,” Willow’s voice came out muffled from the blankets.
Giles coughed and averted his eyes.
“Yes, hello, Willow,” he replied hurriedly.
Alec grinned. “Dad, do you know what time it is?” he began.
Giles was turning an ever-deepening shade of crimson.
“Yes, well, I have an explanation for that,” he began.
“And that you were singing ‘White Room’ at the top of your lungs?” Alec added.
Giles looked ready to die. “Yes, well if you’ll just let me explain…”
Alec cut him off. “I have an explanation,” he grinned.
Giles blanched.
“Alec, surely, you can’t believe that I would have done anything inappropriate,” he stuttered.
Alec waved it away. “Oh, I know,” he reassured the older man.
Rupert sighed in relief.
“Ripper,” the younger Giles finished grinning.
There was a gale of laughter from under the sheets as Giles stammered out some sort of retort. Alec snorted and handed Willow’s jeans and underclothes to her under the sheet. She took them and began bustling about. Alec turned back to his father.
“I’m glad you had a good night, Dad,” he chuckled, shaking his head.
Giles finally regained control over his speech functions.
“Yes, well, don’t forget we have a lot of work to do today,” he admonished his son.
Alec nodded. “Oh, don’t worry, I’m all about the pursuit of knowledge,” he replied evenly.
There was a snort of derision from under the blankets.
“Sure, he’s all about pursuit,” Willow commented, peeking her head out from the blankets. “Hey, shirtless wonder! Think you can give a girl her bra please?” she batted his eyes at him.
Alec snorted and picked up the garment, examining it.
“Hmm, looks like I have managed to remember your measurements accurately,” he commented wryly.
Willow growled at him and snapped her hand out, snatching the garment from him and diving back under the blankets.
Giles gestured to the squirming lump under the blankets.
“It would appear that I am not alone in my… ‘good nights’,” he scowled at his son who waved him off.
“Yeah, but you’re the respectable one, remember? The role model?”
There were twin snorts of derision from Giles and Willow as the redhead snaked her hand out and snatched up her t-shirt from the floor. She finished dressing and finally came out from the blankets, her hair a complete mess. She put a hand to her head.
“Oh, not good,” she commented in her ‘I’m so very cute’ voice.
Alec smiled and patted her on the rump as she headed towards the bathroom. She shot him a challenging look over her shoulder as she headed haughtily into the bathroom, closing the door behind her.
A few minutes later Alec was in the library, his hand stretched out as the people who had bet on Giles and lost.
“Thank you, thank you, thank you,” he smiled and nodded courteously to each one of the Scoobies as they rolled their eyes at his slight smugness.
Faith was the last to place a wad of money in his hand.
“It figures - like father, like son,” she commented.
Alec snorted and tousled her hair. “Something like that, Faith.” He frowned. “How’s your back?”
She smiled and stretched.
“I actually think you may have gotten rid of a crick I’ve had in my back for ages.” She grinned and winked at him. “Better than a chiropractor,” she joked.
Alec smiled wryly. “Therapeutic beatings for everyone,” he assured her.
She laughed and headed off as he shook his head, chuckling, pocketing the money. He strode over to the table, upon which was a vast pile of books circled by Willow, Dawn, Giles, and Marlena. The latter two were glowing, sending each other secret looks. Alec had to visibly struggle not to make a comment. He pulled out an empty chair next to Willow, who looked up at him and shook her head.
Alec frowned in puzzlement as Willow gestured to the seat between herself and Dawn. Alec smiled gratefully and pulled back the chair. Dawn looked up at him and beamed happily. He smiled, and with a newfound confidence, reached out and gently chucked her chin affectionately. She giggled prettily as Willow rolled her eyes. Alec sat down between the two; Willow leaned over as he picked up a book and began reading.
“Charmer,” she whispered.
He didn’t look up at her, only smiled. She kissed his face before going back to her book. Giles took off his glasses and pointed at a passage in a book.
“Ah,” he declared, gesturing for attention, “I think I may have found something.”
Everyone looked up.
“What have you found, Rupert?” Marlena walked over to him, placing an affectionate hand on his shoulder.
Giles smiled slightly; Alec, Dawn and Willow sent each other knowing looks.
“Well, in the Kabbalah, the word for truth, in Hebrew anyhow, is ‘Emet.”
Alec shot Willow a look.
“The four-letter word for ‘truth’,” he breathed, remembering Oliver’s cryptic question.
Willow nodded. “That would make ‘Met’ the word for ‘death’?” she asked.
Giles nodded. “Well, actually Met means ‘dead,’ but, yes, that’s accurate.”
Alec frowned. “Okay, so riddle number one unlocked.” He shook his head. “But what does that have to do with the Wordless Psalm?”
Giles shook his head. “I’m really not sure, Alec.”
He looked up at the silver-haired witch-Slayer.
“Marlena, you said you know of an establishment where we could obtain some more information?”
Marlena nodded.
“Yes, Rupert, in Greenwich Village, to be more precise.” She smiled at him. “I’ll make sure you get the address,” she promised him. The Watcher smiled gratefully.
“Thank you. T-thank you, Marlena,” he stuttered a little, garnering a chuckle from Alec.
Giles shot his son a dirty look, at which the other just winked and went back to his book. Willow spoke up.
“So, that’s it then? We head back to the city.”
Dawn nodded. “Yeah, I mean, that sounds like what we have to do.” The young lady colored a little, she was still getting used to having a say in things. “I suppose,” she mumbled.
Willow reached behind Alec to stroke her hair affectionately.
“You’re absolutely right, Dawnie,” she smiled at younger girl.
Dawn grinned back at the witch as Alec just shook his head in amazement. Willow never failed to surprise him. Her compassion and understanding were limitless.
Giles cleared his throat. “Yes, well, time is of the essence.”
Willow and the others got to their feet. “I’ll get Xander,” she told him.
Alec pulled on his coat. “I’ll round up the others,” he added.
Dawn got her backpack. “I’ll uh… help him… round up the others, that is,” she mumbled.
Alec and Willow shot each other wry looks before Alec tousled Dawn’s hair affectionately.
“Thanks, petite, I could use the help,” he lied.
She smiled a look of pure sunshine at him. Chuckling quietly, the three filed out of the room to attend to their appointed tasks.
An hour later, everyone was on the bus. Giles and Marlena were saying their goodbyes.
“I’ll call you as soon as I get to the city,” Giles promised.
Marlena cracked a wry grin. “They always promise to call,” she teased.
Giles opened his mouth to protest and the woman placed a hand over it.
“It’s all right, Rupert, I know you’ll call.”
Smiling she leaned in and kissed him. After a while they parted, Marlena focused on something beyond the former librarian’s shoulder and chuckled. Giles turned to see the faces of everyone on the bus pressed up against the glass, watching them intently. He scowled at them. Alec smirked and made a few comments and the group dispersed reluctantly, but not before flashing him smiles or thumbs-ups. Giles rolled his eyes and blushed slightly, taking off his glasses before looking back at Marlena.
“Last night was… very special,” he whispered, his voice full of meaning.
Marlena nodded. “It’s been a while, hasn’t it?” she asked.
Giles’ eyes widened. “What do you mean?” he asked.
Marlena threw her head back and laughed.
“Not like that, Rupert. I mean it’s been a while since you’ve been close to someone.”
Giles was still blushing but he nodded. Marlena smiled and touched his cheek.
“Then I’m honored,” she replied.
Giles cleared his throat and, replacing his glasses on his face, took her hand and kissed it. She smiled slightly as he gave her hand a squeeze. He smiled awkwardly.
“Y-yes, well, do take care of yourself,” he stuttered.
Marlena nodded. “You, too, Rupert,” she replied.
Flashing another bashful smile, Rupert climbed up the stairs leading into the camper. Everyone was regarding him with wry looks. He sighed and scowled at them.
“Oh, push off!” he growled.
There was a round of laughter as Xander dropped himself into the driver's seat and started the engine. Giles sat down next to his smirking son.
“I say, well done, old man,” Alec commented wryly.
Giles shot him an admonishing look before the bus pulled away. Marlena held her hand up in farewell and Giles turned just in time to see it. He smiled and waved back and kept watching her until the bus turned a corner and she disappeared from sight.
Chapter 4 - Wedding Present