One Day In town - BtVS/ M7 - FRT
Title: One Day In Town
Author: Beriaearwen
Crossover: Buffy The Vampire Slayer / The Magnificent Seven (original old west of the TV series)
Characters: Buffy, Dawn, Buck, Nathan, Ezra, OC-Clive Danvers, OC-Imogene Danvers
Rating: Suitable for people over 13 (violence, though not excessive)
Word Count: 2406
Disclaimer: the characters of Buffy the Vampire Slayer belong to Mutant Enemy, etc. The characters of The Magnificent Seven belong to MGM, Trilogy, etc. All are used here without permission. No copyright infringement is intended.
Timing: Several years after season 7 of Buffy. M7 = Post "Witness", pre "Nemesis"
Warnings: violence, willing suspension of disbelief not necessary - but a plus
Notes: Yep, Buffy and Dawn end up in the Old West. There are a number of things that may make you go "That would never happen" or "Cheap plot device!", but what do you expect for 2600 words and no chance to proof read/edit it? :-)
Summary: Buffy and Dawn find themselves in a new world with little hope of ever getting home again. Life in the new world isn't easy, but their first trip to town shows them that there are certain perks.
One Day In Town
By Beriaearwen
The buildings of the small town were visible long before they reached them. Buffy did her best to remain patient, but it wasn't easy. Honestly, she could run faster than the wagon moved, but, if it was dangerous for her to draw attention to herself at home, it was even more dangerous here.
And here was somewhere she knew and didn't.
Five months ago she and Dawn had been spending the day together hiking in the Alps when they came across a cave filled with chanting cult members.
Unfortunately, the language they were using was one of the ones Dawn didn't know, but they were both experienced enough to identify a summoning ritual when they saw one.
Naturally they did what they had to - put a stop to the ceremony.
They really should have expected it to backfire.
And backfire it did.
Spectacularly.
She, Dawn and a portion of the cultists got sucked into the unstable dimensional gateway and arrived rather roughly on the other side.
The fact the dimensional gateway opened twenty feet in the air helped none of them.
It was only by her slayer skills and Dawn's luck they survived.
The cultists didn't.
Buffy had managed to catch hold of one of the cultists and used him to break her fall. She still got knocked out, but wasn't as bad as it could have been.
When she came to, she thanked God and every other god she could think of that her sister landed on a whole pile of cultists. Dawn was much more fragile and the extra padding offered by the bodies saved her life, though it didn't save her from injury.
The girls had been extremely lucky to be alive.
They were less lucky to find themselves in what they were pretty sure was somewhere in Western America inland from their previous home in Southern California. Where exactly, they didn't know.
They also knew one other thing - chances of them getting home again were slim to none.
It wasn't that they hadn't gotten people home from alternate dimensions before, but they'd always needed Dawn's blood - or, in a pinch, Buffy's to work the rituals and spells. With both Summers women gone...
The two young women had climbed to the highest point they could and Buffy spotted a small farm a few miles off.
Having no other choice, the girls headed in that direction.
They found themselves on the ranch of an older couple, the Danvers. Clive took one look at the girls and wanted to run them off.
Imogene took one look at them, swatted Clive on the arm and invited them in.
Oddly, though, it was Clive who first believed their story when they told it. That they had told the truth made it even more shocking to be believed.
The couple, having no children of their own, decided that Buffy and Dawn would be the daughters of one of Imogene's cousins from back east. The couple then spent the next few months helping the girls adapt to their world.
It turned out both Buffy and Dawn were pretty good cooks on the older equipment and Dawn had a talent with much of the work Imogene was getting too old to handle.
As for Buffy, the hard labor that Clive handled helped her burn off the extra energy she had and kept her calm.
Now the couple needed to go into the nearest town and deemed Buffy and Dawn ready to face people.
There hadn't been many visitors to their little ranch. The patrol from town would wander by every now and then, but Clive and Imogene made sure the girls stayed far enough away to be seen, but not to interact. But that was about it.
While they were learning of their new world, it had suited the girls perfectly, but both were looking forward to seeing other people.
The wagon jolting particularly hard in a rut startled Buffy from her thoughts and she felt a small amount of relief that they were almost to town.
Glancing at her sister, she offered a smile.
Dawn returned it, excitement dancing in her blue eyes.
<><><><><><><>
“Why did we want to come to town again?” Dawn griped, ducking lower behind the rain barrel as a bullet took a chunk out of the building beside her.
“For a little excitement and fun and to meet people,” Buffy responded with a wince as a bullet hit the ground, churning up the earth a few feet away.
Buffy peeked her head around the rain barrel to see if she and Dawn could make a break for a safer place yet.
Another bullet headed in their direction and tore the fabric of Buffy's dress. The slayer felt the heat from the bullet, but knew she wasn't harmed. “Hey!” she cried, truly angry. “That's it.” Reaching under the hem of her skirt, she grabbed the knife she kept there and threw it in one smooth motion. She smirked in satisfaction as the knife embedded itself in the dress-destroying shooter's arm.
Just as she retook her position behind the rainbarrel, a body dropped next to the two hiding girls. The man was clearly dead, as demonstrated by the hole in the middle of his forehead. As another bullet took a chunk of wood out of the building beside them, Buffy growled in frustration and grabbed the man's gun.
In the time they had spent in this world, both Buffy and Dawn had gotten over any fear or dislike they had of guns. Out here in the West, they were a necessary part of life - if you wanted to survive.
Checking the chamber for bullets, Buffy reached toward the man to try and find some more.
“Here,” Dawn said offering the ammunition.
Buffy nodded, took the bullets and quickly loaded the gun.
Keeping low, she peaked around the barrel and spotted her next target. She still couldn't abide the thought of killing a human - even if they did deserve it - but she knew she was a good enough shot to incapacitate.
Taking aim, she fired, hitting the man's gun-hand.
Quickly taking aim, she hit the shoulder of another - the only part visible from his cover.
Before she could find another target, a body fell off the roof and silence fell on the town.
Waiting to see what would happen a few minutes later, someone called out “All clear.”
People began coming out of buildings.
Buffy and Dawn left their hiding place and started looking for the Danvers.
“You ladies all right?” a deep voice asked.
Buffy and Dawn turned at the same time, coming face to face with a dark-haired, mustached man with a wonderfully smooth voice. Buffy saw the flush start creeping up Dawn's face and bit back a smile.
Only a few hours in town and not only were they involved in a fight, but Dawn had a crush.
“We're fine. We need to find our Aunt and Uncle, though,” Buffy supplied, noticing the man watching her younger sister as closely as Dawn was watching him.
“I'd be happy to help you find them,” he offered. “Buck Wilmington at your service.”
“I'm Dawn and this is my sister, Buffy,” the younger sister managed to get out sounding mostly like herself.
“A pleasure.”
“You done flirting, Buck?” a young man asked as he passed by helping another man carry one of the bodies toward the undertakers. “We could use some help.”
Buck let out a dramatic sigh as he took Dawn's hand in his own and placed a kiss on the back of it. “A peacekeeper's work is never done.” With a tip of his hat toward Buffy, he released Dawn's hand and went to help.
Buffy couldn't help but smile at her little sister whose cheeks were rosier than they had been a few minutes ago.
“What?”
“Nothing,” Buffy said. She could tease Dawn later. “We need to go find Imogene and Clive.”
Heading off again, the girls were stalled as they came across a tall, dark man checking on another wounded man.
The wounded man was not making it easy and Buffy could easily tell the healer would need some help.
Figuring her dress was already ruined by the bullet tear, Buffy figured a little blood couldn't hurt. “Go find Aunt and Uncle,” she instructed Dawn. “I'll help here.”
The healer looked up. “You don't have to do that,” he protested.
Buffy just shot him a look and moved to the other side of the man. “You need another set of hands and I know what to do.”
“Nathan Jackson,” the man said with a nod.
Buffy returned the nod. “Buffy Summers.”
“And I, fair lady, am Ezra P. Standish. Forgive me for not greeting such a beautiful lady appropriately,” the injured man slurred.
“Think nothing of it,” Buffy soothed, Tearing the hole in the shirt a little wider to check on the wound in his upper arm. Fortunately it seemed the bullet went through. It wouldn't make the healing process any less painful, but at least it would heal, provided they kept it clean. For the meantime she ripped the sleeve off his shirt and used it to bind the wound.
“I say!” Ezra protested. “That is my favorite shirt. There is no need to desecrate such a wonderful piece of tailored magnificence!”
Taking a closer look at the man, she saw he was pale and sweating. His eyes were also slightly dilated. “He's a little shocky,” she advised, worried over the not-quite-coherent rambling.
“Between being shot and the amount of blood he's lost we need to get him in and settled. Then maybe some broth to help him.”
Buffy nodded. “Water wouldn't go amiss either.”
“He going to be all right?”
Looking up at the source of the voice, Buffy saw a man dressed all in black. His sun-bleached blond hair and flinty hazel eyes were taking in the situation and evaluating Buffy, before looking to Nathan for an answer.
“Fool saved the Moore girl and got shot twice - “
“Three times,” Buffy corrected, finding another through-and-through on his side. Actually, it looked like the bulled skimmed along the rib.
“Three times,” Nathan said, his teeth gritted.
“Take care of it, Nate. Ma'am,” he said, nodding his head in acknowledgment before heading off to the check on the rest of the town.
“We need to get him somewhere clean and take care of this properly,” Buffy said, using the tail of the shirt she'd first un-tucked and the tore off to staunch the blood running from Ezra's side.
“As soon as you get that wrapped, we can take him to the clinic.”
Buffy just nodded.
A few minutes later, she was on one side of Ezra and the very tall Nathan Jackson was on the other. They looked a truly awkward combination of people, but without too much trouble - and with Buffy taking more of Ezra's weight than Nathan realized, they got him up and into the clinic in no time.
Buffy was working on cleaning Ezra's wounds while Nathan prepared a poultice and a tea. She spared a glance over her shoulder and saw Dawn had arrived.
“What can I do?” she asked.
Nathan looked up and frowned. His eyes darted to Buffy and then Dawn. He facing he wasn't sure he was ready for two helper.
“Can you grab those bandages, Dawn?” Buffy asked. “How are Aunt and Uncle.”
“Fine. They're having a cup of tea at the hotel to calm down.”
“Good. Nathan Jackson, my sister, Dawn Summers. Dawn, this is Nathan Jackson, the town healer.”
“Mr. Jackson,” Dawn offered with a nod, helping Buffy with the remains of Ezra's shirt. “Be easier to cut it off,” she grumbled under her breath, earning a raised eyebrow from Nathan.
“True, but some of the blood is beginning to dry. We'll need to wet it again.”
Without a word, Dawn got a bowl of water and a rag while Nathan approached on the side opposite Buffy with a cup in his hand.
“Gotta drink this Ez,” he coaxed, tapping the injured man's cheek. Eventually, while Dawn and Buffy removed the shirt and washed the wounded areas, Nathan got Ezra to drink the whole mug. Whatever was in it knocked the man out.
“Is he under enough to do the stitches?” Buffy asked, her eyes meeting the healer's.
Nathan snorted. “Never is,” he grumbled. With a sigh he said, “Probably do him less harm if we held him down rather than tied him, though.”
Buffy and Dawn both nodded in agreement. Buffy alone could easily hold the man down, but they couldn't let anyone know that.
With a sigh, Nathan asked, “Can either of you stitch a wound?”
“Both of us,” Dawn replied.
Nathan nodded. “Be faster with two of you doing it.” He moved across the room and got what he would need for the procedure. “Needles have been boiled and kept in clean cloth, but it never hurts to be sure,” he said, placing a lit candle on either side of the bed.
A few minutes later, the trio were ready to finish this part of the job.
The Summers sisters worked quickly and efficiently. Years of tending their own and other peoples wounds made them fairly good battlefield medics and experts at stitches that left little scarring.
As Buffy cut the thread on the final set of stitches, the door burst open.
“Nate, grab your bag. You're needed in the jail.”
Buffy felt her breath catch and cheeks heat slightly at the sight of the man who burst in. He tall, thought not as tall as Nathan and had the most stunning blue eyes she had ever seen. She couldn't say much for his taste in clothing - doe-skin breeches and a buffalo-hide coat if she wasn't mistaken - but he wore it very well.
She caught sight of her sister out of the corner of her eyes and saw the smirk on the younger woman's face.
Focusing back on the man in the doorway, Buffy felt a jolt go through her as she found his eyes locked on her as well. She watched the color creep into his face and was intrigued.
“We can watch over him while you go,” Dawn assured, breaking the moment.
“Thanks,” Nathan said grabbing a black doctor's bag and checking the contents. He added a few more things before closing it again. “Shouldn't be too long.”
As he headed toward the man at the door, Buffy called out, “Oh. If you see a guy with a knife in his arm, I'd like my blade back.”
Both men stared at her for a moment in surprise. Nathan seemed to shake himself out of it and the man in the doorway just raised an eyebrow and gave her a considering look.
Buffy wanted to find out exactly what that look meant, but the two men slipped out of the room. Duty first was something she and Dawn understood only too well.
Settling back on one of the chairs, she watched Dawn take the other. Looking at her little sister and thinking over their day and the man who burst in a few minutes ago, Buffy couldn't help the grin on her face as she said, “You know, town's not half so bad.”
“Nope,” Dawn agreed with an equally bright smile.
End
Author: Beriaearwen
Crossover: Buffy The Vampire Slayer / The Magnificent Seven (original old west of the TV series)
Characters: Buffy, Dawn, Buck, Nathan, Ezra, OC-Clive Danvers, OC-Imogene Danvers
Rating: Suitable for people over 13 (violence, though not excessive)
Word Count: 2406
Disclaimer: the characters of Buffy the Vampire Slayer belong to Mutant Enemy, etc. The characters of The Magnificent Seven belong to MGM, Trilogy, etc. All are used here without permission. No copyright infringement is intended.
Timing: Several years after season 7 of Buffy. M7 = Post "Witness", pre "Nemesis"
Warnings: violence, willing suspension of disbelief not necessary - but a plus
Notes: Yep, Buffy and Dawn end up in the Old West. There are a number of things that may make you go "That would never happen" or "Cheap plot device!", but what do you expect for 2600 words and no chance to proof read/edit it? :-)
Summary: Buffy and Dawn find themselves in a new world with little hope of ever getting home again. Life in the new world isn't easy, but their first trip to town shows them that there are certain perks.
One Day In Town
By Beriaearwen
The buildings of the small town were visible long before they reached them. Buffy did her best to remain patient, but it wasn't easy. Honestly, she could run faster than the wagon moved, but, if it was dangerous for her to draw attention to herself at home, it was even more dangerous here.
And here was somewhere she knew and didn't.
Five months ago she and Dawn had been spending the day together hiking in the Alps when they came across a cave filled with chanting cult members.
Unfortunately, the language they were using was one of the ones Dawn didn't know, but they were both experienced enough to identify a summoning ritual when they saw one.
Naturally they did what they had to - put a stop to the ceremony.
They really should have expected it to backfire.
And backfire it did.
Spectacularly.
She, Dawn and a portion of the cultists got sucked into the unstable dimensional gateway and arrived rather roughly on the other side.
The fact the dimensional gateway opened twenty feet in the air helped none of them.
It was only by her slayer skills and Dawn's luck they survived.
The cultists didn't.
Buffy had managed to catch hold of one of the cultists and used him to break her fall. She still got knocked out, but wasn't as bad as it could have been.
When she came to, she thanked God and every other god she could think of that her sister landed on a whole pile of cultists. Dawn was much more fragile and the extra padding offered by the bodies saved her life, though it didn't save her from injury.
The girls had been extremely lucky to be alive.
They were less lucky to find themselves in what they were pretty sure was somewhere in Western America inland from their previous home in Southern California. Where exactly, they didn't know.
They also knew one other thing - chances of them getting home again were slim to none.
It wasn't that they hadn't gotten people home from alternate dimensions before, but they'd always needed Dawn's blood - or, in a pinch, Buffy's to work the rituals and spells. With both Summers women gone...
The two young women had climbed to the highest point they could and Buffy spotted a small farm a few miles off.
Having no other choice, the girls headed in that direction.
They found themselves on the ranch of an older couple, the Danvers. Clive took one look at the girls and wanted to run them off.
Imogene took one look at them, swatted Clive on the arm and invited them in.
Oddly, though, it was Clive who first believed their story when they told it. That they had told the truth made it even more shocking to be believed.
The couple, having no children of their own, decided that Buffy and Dawn would be the daughters of one of Imogene's cousins from back east. The couple then spent the next few months helping the girls adapt to their world.
It turned out both Buffy and Dawn were pretty good cooks on the older equipment and Dawn had a talent with much of the work Imogene was getting too old to handle.
As for Buffy, the hard labor that Clive handled helped her burn off the extra energy she had and kept her calm.
Now the couple needed to go into the nearest town and deemed Buffy and Dawn ready to face people.
There hadn't been many visitors to their little ranch. The patrol from town would wander by every now and then, but Clive and Imogene made sure the girls stayed far enough away to be seen, but not to interact. But that was about it.
While they were learning of their new world, it had suited the girls perfectly, but both were looking forward to seeing other people.
The wagon jolting particularly hard in a rut startled Buffy from her thoughts and she felt a small amount of relief that they were almost to town.
Glancing at her sister, she offered a smile.
Dawn returned it, excitement dancing in her blue eyes.
<><><><><><><>
“Why did we want to come to town again?” Dawn griped, ducking lower behind the rain barrel as a bullet took a chunk out of the building beside her.
“For a little excitement and fun and to meet people,” Buffy responded with a wince as a bullet hit the ground, churning up the earth a few feet away.
Buffy peeked her head around the rain barrel to see if she and Dawn could make a break for a safer place yet.
Another bullet headed in their direction and tore the fabric of Buffy's dress. The slayer felt the heat from the bullet, but knew she wasn't harmed. “Hey!” she cried, truly angry. “That's it.” Reaching under the hem of her skirt, she grabbed the knife she kept there and threw it in one smooth motion. She smirked in satisfaction as the knife embedded itself in the dress-destroying shooter's arm.
Just as she retook her position behind the rainbarrel, a body dropped next to the two hiding girls. The man was clearly dead, as demonstrated by the hole in the middle of his forehead. As another bullet took a chunk of wood out of the building beside them, Buffy growled in frustration and grabbed the man's gun.
In the time they had spent in this world, both Buffy and Dawn had gotten over any fear or dislike they had of guns. Out here in the West, they were a necessary part of life - if you wanted to survive.
Checking the chamber for bullets, Buffy reached toward the man to try and find some more.
“Here,” Dawn said offering the ammunition.
Buffy nodded, took the bullets and quickly loaded the gun.
Keeping low, she peaked around the barrel and spotted her next target. She still couldn't abide the thought of killing a human - even if they did deserve it - but she knew she was a good enough shot to incapacitate.
Taking aim, she fired, hitting the man's gun-hand.
Quickly taking aim, she hit the shoulder of another - the only part visible from his cover.
Before she could find another target, a body fell off the roof and silence fell on the town.
Waiting to see what would happen a few minutes later, someone called out “All clear.”
People began coming out of buildings.
Buffy and Dawn left their hiding place and started looking for the Danvers.
“You ladies all right?” a deep voice asked.
Buffy and Dawn turned at the same time, coming face to face with a dark-haired, mustached man with a wonderfully smooth voice. Buffy saw the flush start creeping up Dawn's face and bit back a smile.
Only a few hours in town and not only were they involved in a fight, but Dawn had a crush.
“We're fine. We need to find our Aunt and Uncle, though,” Buffy supplied, noticing the man watching her younger sister as closely as Dawn was watching him.
“I'd be happy to help you find them,” he offered. “Buck Wilmington at your service.”
“I'm Dawn and this is my sister, Buffy,” the younger sister managed to get out sounding mostly like herself.
“A pleasure.”
“You done flirting, Buck?” a young man asked as he passed by helping another man carry one of the bodies toward the undertakers. “We could use some help.”
Buck let out a dramatic sigh as he took Dawn's hand in his own and placed a kiss on the back of it. “A peacekeeper's work is never done.” With a tip of his hat toward Buffy, he released Dawn's hand and went to help.
Buffy couldn't help but smile at her little sister whose cheeks were rosier than they had been a few minutes ago.
“What?”
“Nothing,” Buffy said. She could tease Dawn later. “We need to go find Imogene and Clive.”
Heading off again, the girls were stalled as they came across a tall, dark man checking on another wounded man.
The wounded man was not making it easy and Buffy could easily tell the healer would need some help.
Figuring her dress was already ruined by the bullet tear, Buffy figured a little blood couldn't hurt. “Go find Aunt and Uncle,” she instructed Dawn. “I'll help here.”
The healer looked up. “You don't have to do that,” he protested.
Buffy just shot him a look and moved to the other side of the man. “You need another set of hands and I know what to do.”
“Nathan Jackson,” the man said with a nod.
Buffy returned the nod. “Buffy Summers.”
“And I, fair lady, am Ezra P. Standish. Forgive me for not greeting such a beautiful lady appropriately,” the injured man slurred.
“Think nothing of it,” Buffy soothed, Tearing the hole in the shirt a little wider to check on the wound in his upper arm. Fortunately it seemed the bullet went through. It wouldn't make the healing process any less painful, but at least it would heal, provided they kept it clean. For the meantime she ripped the sleeve off his shirt and used it to bind the wound.
“I say!” Ezra protested. “That is my favorite shirt. There is no need to desecrate such a wonderful piece of tailored magnificence!”
Taking a closer look at the man, she saw he was pale and sweating. His eyes were also slightly dilated. “He's a little shocky,” she advised, worried over the not-quite-coherent rambling.
“Between being shot and the amount of blood he's lost we need to get him in and settled. Then maybe some broth to help him.”
Buffy nodded. “Water wouldn't go amiss either.”
“He going to be all right?”
Looking up at the source of the voice, Buffy saw a man dressed all in black. His sun-bleached blond hair and flinty hazel eyes were taking in the situation and evaluating Buffy, before looking to Nathan for an answer.
“Fool saved the Moore girl and got shot twice - “
“Three times,” Buffy corrected, finding another through-and-through on his side. Actually, it looked like the bulled skimmed along the rib.
“Three times,” Nathan said, his teeth gritted.
“Take care of it, Nate. Ma'am,” he said, nodding his head in acknowledgment before heading off to the check on the rest of the town.
“We need to get him somewhere clean and take care of this properly,” Buffy said, using the tail of the shirt she'd first un-tucked and the tore off to staunch the blood running from Ezra's side.
“As soon as you get that wrapped, we can take him to the clinic.”
Buffy just nodded.
A few minutes later, she was on one side of Ezra and the very tall Nathan Jackson was on the other. They looked a truly awkward combination of people, but without too much trouble - and with Buffy taking more of Ezra's weight than Nathan realized, they got him up and into the clinic in no time.
Buffy was working on cleaning Ezra's wounds while Nathan prepared a poultice and a tea. She spared a glance over her shoulder and saw Dawn had arrived.
“What can I do?” she asked.
Nathan looked up and frowned. His eyes darted to Buffy and then Dawn. He facing he wasn't sure he was ready for two helper.
“Can you grab those bandages, Dawn?” Buffy asked. “How are Aunt and Uncle.”
“Fine. They're having a cup of tea at the hotel to calm down.”
“Good. Nathan Jackson, my sister, Dawn Summers. Dawn, this is Nathan Jackson, the town healer.”
“Mr. Jackson,” Dawn offered with a nod, helping Buffy with the remains of Ezra's shirt. “Be easier to cut it off,” she grumbled under her breath, earning a raised eyebrow from Nathan.
“True, but some of the blood is beginning to dry. We'll need to wet it again.”
Without a word, Dawn got a bowl of water and a rag while Nathan approached on the side opposite Buffy with a cup in his hand.
“Gotta drink this Ez,” he coaxed, tapping the injured man's cheek. Eventually, while Dawn and Buffy removed the shirt and washed the wounded areas, Nathan got Ezra to drink the whole mug. Whatever was in it knocked the man out.
“Is he under enough to do the stitches?” Buffy asked, her eyes meeting the healer's.
Nathan snorted. “Never is,” he grumbled. With a sigh he said, “Probably do him less harm if we held him down rather than tied him, though.”
Buffy and Dawn both nodded in agreement. Buffy alone could easily hold the man down, but they couldn't let anyone know that.
With a sigh, Nathan asked, “Can either of you stitch a wound?”
“Both of us,” Dawn replied.
Nathan nodded. “Be faster with two of you doing it.” He moved across the room and got what he would need for the procedure. “Needles have been boiled and kept in clean cloth, but it never hurts to be sure,” he said, placing a lit candle on either side of the bed.
A few minutes later, the trio were ready to finish this part of the job.
The Summers sisters worked quickly and efficiently. Years of tending their own and other peoples wounds made them fairly good battlefield medics and experts at stitches that left little scarring.
As Buffy cut the thread on the final set of stitches, the door burst open.
“Nate, grab your bag. You're needed in the jail.”
Buffy felt her breath catch and cheeks heat slightly at the sight of the man who burst in. He tall, thought not as tall as Nathan and had the most stunning blue eyes she had ever seen. She couldn't say much for his taste in clothing - doe-skin breeches and a buffalo-hide coat if she wasn't mistaken - but he wore it very well.
She caught sight of her sister out of the corner of her eyes and saw the smirk on the younger woman's face.
Focusing back on the man in the doorway, Buffy felt a jolt go through her as she found his eyes locked on her as well. She watched the color creep into his face and was intrigued.
“We can watch over him while you go,” Dawn assured, breaking the moment.
“Thanks,” Nathan said grabbing a black doctor's bag and checking the contents. He added a few more things before closing it again. “Shouldn't be too long.”
As he headed toward the man at the door, Buffy called out, “Oh. If you see a guy with a knife in his arm, I'd like my blade back.”
Both men stared at her for a moment in surprise. Nathan seemed to shake himself out of it and the man in the doorway just raised an eyebrow and gave her a considering look.
Buffy wanted to find out exactly what that look meant, but the two men slipped out of the room. Duty first was something she and Dawn understood only too well.
Settling back on one of the chairs, she watched Dawn take the other. Looking at her little sister and thinking over their day and the man who burst in a few minutes ago, Buffy couldn't help the grin on her face as she said, “You know, town's not half so bad.”
“Nope,” Dawn agreed with an equally bright smile.
End