Fic: Graile Chapter 2 - Mr. Covington goes to Sunnydale

[Jack Xavier Warriner <connor_macbeth@xxxxxxxxx>]

Graile 
Chapter Three ? Mr. Covington goes to Sunnydale
By: MacBeth

Author?s Note: The computer is purely wishful
thinking, Cooper?s quote was unavoidable.
Disclaimers: The Usual. My people are mine, Joss? are
Joss?. This entire series has tones of a Sapphic
variety; if this offends you, then how in the name of
Takhisis did you find this fic?
Timeline: Set after ?I Robot, You Jane?.

Library of Sunnydale High School
Sunnydale, California

Willow Rosenberg considered herself relatively
normal. Disregarding the fact that she almost became a
vampire, helped defeat a Demon infected android, hangs
out with the school librarian, (who just happens to be
a member of an ancient society who trains warriors to
fight the forces of darkness,) she also has had a
crush on her best friend in the entire world... until
recently. That is to say until Buffy Summers
transferred to Sunnydale High.
Willow shifted in her seat as she watched Buffy
train with her Watcher, Giles. Willow knew that Buffy
was special, even without being a Slayer she was
special. Buffy had taken the time to get to know
Willow and her best friend Xander, even at the cost of
earning the wrath of Cordelia "Queen C" Chase.
"Willow...?" She shook her head and turned to her
friend Xander. 
"Huh? I, I was thinking about, uh, Biology. All
those frogs we get to cut up this year." Xander nodded
absently, taking up Willow's hobby of Buffy ogling.
Buffy rolled away from Giles' padded spear and shot
her left foot up in a snap kick to his abdomen thereby
ending the training sequence. Giles looked up from the
floor at the smirking blonde and promptly swept her
feet out form under her. Giles got to his feet and
offered a hand to Buffy. "Always consider an opponent
dangerous until they are completely dead." Giles
pulled Buffy to her feet and they both walked to the
other's table, picking up towels to wipe away the
sweat from their exercises. Willow suddenly found
herself mesmerized by a single bead of sweat trickling
down Buffy's temple, along her neck and into the
cleavage peeking from the top of her sports bra.
Buffy turned to Willow and grinned. "Hey Wills,
what's up?" 
"Uh, nothing, we just came in to pass the time.
Patrol tonight?" Willow asked, looking for all the
world like an excited puppy.
"There will be patrolling, yes. Me, alone; you have
more important things to do than to wander around
vampire infested graveyards at night, like sleep."
Buffy said turning a blind eye to Willow's pouting
lip. "Giles? How about some crossbow practice,
Please?" Buffy begged.
"Alright, I believe you've earned it." The now
depadded Watcher stated as he headed to the weapon
locker. "Try to hit a star pattern at twelve, three,
five, seven, and nine o'clock." He said, handing her
the crossbow. Moving out of the Slayer?s way, he moved
to where Xander and Willow were leaning against the
counter as Buffy sighted the target set on the far end
of the main reading table.
Willow stage whispered to Xander, ?Ten bucks says
she misses every shot.?
Xander grinned. ?You?re on.?
?I heard that.? Buffy turned on them with a mock
glare.
Willow ducked her shoulders and settled down in her
chair to cheer good shots and ogle Buffy's tensed arm
and shoulder muscles.
* * *

As silent as a wraith, a jet-black convertible
pulled into Sunnydale High's parking lot. Turning
smoothly, the nearly three-decade-old vehicle slid
smoothly into the spot in front of the school?s
courtyard. The driver's door opened, and a handsome,
muscular, young man stepped from the vehicle. Turning
his head, he plucked a cigarette from his lips and
dropped it to the ground, extinguishing it with the
toe of his black leather Prada shoes. Absently, he
adjusted the gold and emerald ring on his finger and
looked around at the campus. 
Cordelia Chase was in love, "He's perfect." She
thought. "Tall, handsome, ripped, obviously wealthy,
has a car, God please tell me he's transferring in..."
she mentally prayed as she sauntered over to the
newcomer. She quickly adopted her ?Social Goddess?
facade.
"Hi, if you're a new student, I can show you to the
office." Cordelia stated in her most hinting tone. She
stepped a little closer. ?I know just about everyone
here.?
"Actually, I'm not a student," came the Irish
accented reply. "I'm looking for an old friend of
mine. Maybe you could help me?" he asked, giving her a
very charming half grin. Shouldering his knapsack, he
beckoned for her to lead. Taking a split second to
drag his eyes over Cordy?s softly curving bottom.
"I'd love to help you with anything. I'm Cordelia
Chase,? she said, offering her hand.
He took the hand with gentle grace. "Jack
Covington, and I'm trying to find Elizabeth Summers.
Though she probably goes by Buffy". He said with his
half grin, seemingly oblivious to Cordelia's now
forced smiles. 
"Buffy...? Sure, I know where she is. She's in the
library," she said, abruptly pulling her hand to her
side. Cordelia nodded in the Library?s general
direction, then turned and walked away. "Damn her! Why
does she get all the hot ones?" she grumbled to
herself as she headed to her locker.
Jack just grinned at the retreating angered
brunette and headed directly for the library. "That
was almost too easy." 
Peeking through the door window, Jack spied Buffy
clutching a crossbow and loading a bolt into place.
Turning his head, he saw the backs of Xander and
Willow. His eyes lingered on Willow's profile briefly
before he covertly peeked into the room, ignoring the
"Closed for Reshelving" signpost in front of the
doors. 
Buffy turned her head from the sight in sudden
distraction. For some reason, she felt better than she
had in a long time. An overwhelming sense of the warm
fuzzies, comfort she hadn't felt since... Hemry.
Feigning a neck roll, she looked behind her towards
the library entrance as he Watcher moved to the
counter. Buffy locked eyes with Jack and winked;
amused that none of her friends noticed the sharply
dressed young man who was standing behind the door.
Turning and refocusing her aim, she fired, reloaded,
and fired again. Every shot she fired was perfectly
placed on the man shaped target. Follow Giles'
directive, the target soon had a star pattern dead
center on the torso, with one final bolt placed
exactly where the vampire's heart would be. 
She handed the Crossbow to Giles and spoke out
loud, crossing her arms over her chest.. "So Jack, are
you going to come in or are you going to peek at my
friends all day?" 
Her friends turned around in shocked confusion as
the sharply dressed young man entered the library.
Willow's glance shot between Buffy and Jack. Something
about him felt off to the young hacker, a sense of
unease settled over Willow. Shaking her head from
these bizarre thoughts, she turned to Xander for his
thoughts and was taken back by the look of jealousy
she saw there. 
"Jack. God it?s good to see you! What brings you to
Sunnydale?" Buffy asked, before wrapping him in a
tight hug. ?Not that I?m completely against it.? The
old connecting feeling came back in full force and she
lingered in the hug. Jack welcomed the hug and
squeezed slightly. In her ear he whispered, ?It?s been
a long time Elizabeth. You look well." Willow
suppressed an incredible rush of jealousy and settled
for analyzing every detail of the newcomer. ?His
clothing is perfect, he?s very handsome, muscular, and
Buffy seems to trust him completely.? she thought to
herself, ?I hate him already.?
Releasing her to arms length, Jack eyed her
closely. "You've actually gotten taller. I guess I owe
Pike twenty." He said with a grin. Turning, he noticed
the others' blank stares. "I think introductions are
in order or they?ll think you?ve gotten a new
boyfriend." He said with a wry grin.
"Right. Jack, Meet Willow ?Hackmistress? Rosenberg,
Xander ?X-Man? Harris, and my Watcher, Rupert ?Tweedy?
Giles.? She said gesturing to each. ?Guys, this is
Jack ?Mystery Man? Covington." Seeing Giles? frown at
this breach of security, she and Jack shared a grin.
"He's an old friend from Hemry, he helped Merrick and
I.? 
Jack turned and shook hands with each. ?B?s told me
about each of you. She drops me a line every season.?
Setting his knapsack on the table, he hopped up next
to it and crossed his arms. ?So.... Any big bad evils
I can help you get rid of??
Buffy smacked him on the upper arm. ?Where were you
when Moloch was moonwalking around in a robocop rip
off??
Willow winced internally at the mention of her
latest cock up and watched the camaraderie with barely
contained jealousy. ?Yet another thing I can never
have. He knows things about her I could never even ask
about.? Her thoughts turned dark. ?I wonder how
Angel?s going to react to their intimacy?? 
Xander?s jealousy was not as well concealed.
?There?s gotta be something wrong with him, he can?t
be perfect.? he thought, ?Man, Angel?s gonna kick his
ass.? Xander grinned darkly. 
Giles, meanwhile, was fascinated with Jack?s
knapsack. It looked exactly like his grandfather?s
British Air Force Pack. ?My father would riot over
that pack, even the patches are exactly the same...
Wait, that can?t possibly be right.? he thought,
resolving to make a few phone calls.
?When was this?? Jack said with raised eyebrows.
?Last week.?
?Oh... well, I just got back to the states. Aki and
I were in the catacombs of Notre Dame, We were
commissioned by the Vatican to investigate rumors of a
Necromancer reanimating heretics.? Jack said opening
the knapsack and pulling out two books and handing
them to Giles. ?Speaking of which, here. Buffy heard
you say you needed these. Call them spoils of war.?
Giles took the tomes and checked the spines. ?Van
Loften?s Arcane Compendium and The Shadowstone Tome.
These are very, very rare, thank you, thank you very
much. These will be extremely useful.? Giles rambled
off, while trying to simultaneously pore over both
tomes.
Jack turned to Xander, ?Here,? he pulled a sheathed
kukri and a black leather vest out and tossed them to
him. ?Buffy said you are pretty hard to shop for.?
Xander grinned and slipped the vest on over his blue
palm leaf Hawaiian shirt. Jack winced. ?You might want
to wear that over something else.? 
Xander looked at the kukri and looked to Jack.
?It?s not everyday someone gives me weapons.?
?I think Giles can hold onto that until after
school.? Jack nodded to the oblivious Brit.
Willow coughed none too subtly. Jack rolled his
eyes and pulled out a slim laptop. His grin widened as
her eyes bugged out and her hands started to shake.
Jack handed it to her and stifled laughter as she took
it reverently. ?It?s a customized job. That?s a Triton
5800 with 10ghrz, a Pen five chip, 184 GB Hard Drive,
Multi Disc RW drive, three external pen vaults with 10
GB of memory each, needless to say, it?s a prototype.
Use with caution, there?s no Tech support for it.? He
slowly backed away from the almost vibrating Willow.
?Breathe Willow, breathe.? he said and slowly backed
away.
Buffy grabbed his arm in a vise and pulled him none
too gently away from her severely distracted friends
?Why exactly are you buying off my friends??
?What? This way, they won?t see me as a mystery man
from your past so much as a mystery man who brought
them cool toys. And I didn?t hear you complaining over
the bracer.? He said with a disarming grin.
?Oh, right. And this had absolutely nothing to do
with your insecurity over meeting my friends.? She
said raising an eyebrow.
?Nothing whatsoever.? Came his even reply.
?Right.?
* * *

Buffy held Angel close, kissing him passionately.
The muscles of his back rippled under her hand as he
pulled her closer. A sense of shame flooded the
Slayer; she broke the embrace and rested her forehead
against his. ?God, this is driving me crazy.? she
moaned as fingertips slipped slowly up her waist and
under her shirt to trace the underside of her breast.
Buffy froze as she felt the heat of smaller
fingertips. She looked up into eyes the color of
emeralds framed by deep red hair. A smile crept into
those eyes and they fluttered closed before soft lips
met hers. Buffy clamped her own eyes shut and reveled
in the feelings.
Buffy awoke with deep shuddering breaths. ?This is
getting ridiculous.? Buffy sat up and heard a tapping
at her window. Throwing back her covers, Buffy rubbed
her eyes and pulled the top of her pirate happy face
pajamas on. Shambling over to her window, she lifted
it open and grinned as Angel leaned in over the sill.
?Hi. Did I wake you?? he asked softly.
?Would you feel guilty if I said yes?? She smiled
and kissed him gently.
?Only a little.? he replied after the kiss.
?Then yeah, you did... Meanie.? She smirked and
pulled him close for another kiss, ?But I forgive
you.? Throughout the kissing session that night, Buffy
kept flashing back to her dream, and guiltily wished
that it were Willow in her arms.
* * *

Jack stepped out from behind the tree in front of
Buffy?s house, having watched Angel leap to her
windowsill. He grinned and walked to his car, lighting
a cigarette in mid stride. Jack put the hood down and
felt in the mood to cruise beneath the moonlight. A
thought crossed his mind and he laughed. ?Cadillac
indeed.? he turned the radio to a classic rock station
and Pink Floyd?s ?Comfortably Numb? playing off the
speakers. Jack grinned and headed outwards on a random
direction. 
* * *

The Sun?s dying rays caressed slowly moving skin as
it sank into the Caribbean horizon. Green eyes
sparkled and sweet lips curled as she inhaled and
exhaled in near sync with the body in her arms. A
slight tropical breeze blew across her arms, cooling
the sweat produced by a very recent bout of passionate
lovemaking. Looking down, Willow smiled in love as she
gently brushed a wisp of blonde hair back behind a
cutely curved ear from its soft tickling of a closed
eye. The eye opened, revealing a ring of deep blue.
The eye locked onto her own and a little lower, lips
curled slightly in a pleased grin. 
Willow leaned down and kisses the temple adjacent
to the crystal clear eye. Puling back, the blonde in
her arms shifted slightly, pulling the normally shy
redhead down for a tender loving kiss. ?I love you
Mrs. Summers,? the blonde whispered, her hand gliding
down goosebumped skin to nudge the sparkling diamond
ring on Willow?s left hand. 
Green eyes welled with tears as she smiled. ?I love
you too Mrs. Rosenberg.? she whispered before leaning
down for a kiss of a different flavor. A passionate,
soul-scorching kiss meant to instill a feeling of
eternity. 
Willow reluctantly released the lips that felt
nearly painfully perfect. ?When do I have to go?? she
asked with a pout, dragging her fingers over soft
skin.
?Soon I think, love. But remember, no matter what
happens out there, I love you.? Buffy said. Then all
conscious thought became impossible as hands began
roaming across nude skin in an ancient dance as the
sky changed inevitably from orange and red to deep
indigo and violet.

Willow tossed and turned on her bed, Her brow was
beaded with sweat as she sat up, panting. A devilish
grin crept across her features. She lay there, her
skin covered in a light sheen of sweat. Turning her
head to the left, she picked up her new laptop with
shaky hands and booted it up. A wave of giddy
excitement coursed through her at how fast it ran
through its start up program. Hitting the web browser
on the Keyboard, she logged into her E-mail address.
?Ooh. I?ve got Mail.? she opened the letter and
grinned at the sender. She opened the letter and began
to read.

Hey,
Vasha Here. I clicked on and thought I?d send you a
line. I did some digging, that Moloch Demon is one
tough hombre?. Be Careful. He?s known as ?The
Corruptor?. Just from the name alone you should keep
an eye on any and all virgins. I?m guessing that would
include your friend X.
Oh, thanks for that website you sent me; it had a
software decryption program that helped a great deal.
And speaking of secrets best revealed... Have you told
her yet? The longer you put it off the more likely
this Angel bloke will bring her even closer, and
you?ll lose any chance you may have with her. 
Give me a yell when you can.

Vasha_NYC

Willow grinned and clicked on the compose option. 

Hi, 
Red here. Read your note. Thanks for the info on
Moloch... it?s about a day late. It?s not your fault.
He was scanned into the computer and had servants
build a robotic body. Otherwise it was just another
Tuesday night in Sunnydale. (I believe you?re right
about X)
A friend of B?s arrived today; I?ve got an odd
feeling about him. Like not everything?s completely
kosher with him. He just feels off to me. Know what I
mean? Maybe I?m just imagining it. Or maybe I?m just
jealous. I mean c?mon, He shows up and she just
brightens up. GRRR.... :(
Sad, depressing thoughts aside, Happy to hear about
the mystery program. I should warn you, don?t call for
tech support with it on your HD. It doesn?t look right
and they?ll report you.
Write me.

Red_One

* * *

Manhattan, New York 

Aki leaned back from her laptop and smiled. ?Odd
Feeling... That?s our boy.? Turning her head slightly,
she yelled across the living room in the kitchen?s
direction ?Jack?s in the Dale!? 
Pike walked out of the kitchen and tossed his apron
back over his shoulder into the face of the tall black
man standing over a cutting board. ?Here.? he said
casually, coming over to read over Aki?s shoulder.
?Thank you...? Lucius answered sarcastically before
turning back to the prosciutto and rye he was slicing
for lunch. Leaning against the stainless steel
refrigerator, a tall raven tressed woman smirked in
amusement. Lucius turned to the woman in annoyance.
?Don?t you start, Elvira. I can reach a wooden cooking
spoon very quickly.? he said a mock warning tone.
Deanna Covington snorted and shifted into her
vampiric visage. ?Oh I?m shaking...? she
mock-trembled. Opening the cooler, she pulled out a
donor bag of O+ and bit in, drinking deeply. Lucius
Carter watched in morbid fascination for a brief
moment before turning away. 
?Don?t do that in here! It?s disgusting...? the
Tall black man shuddered and resumed constructing
sandwiches as Deanna Intentionally bumped against him
on her way to the library. ?Oops... sorry.?
?Twit.? came his reply before piling the sandwiches
onto a platter and grabbing a pitcher of lemonade. 
Aki frowned in annoyance as Pike leaned over her
shoulder to read Willow?s E-mail. ?Ok... I still have
absolutely no idea what Jack?s plan is.? 
Aki rolled her eyes and shooed him away from her
computer. ?Jack?s had this plan for a LONG time. He?s
been planning this, fishboy. He knows what he?s doing,
and he?ll let us know what we?re to do when we?re
supposed to know. We each owe him that. I owe him
more,? she said, feeling very, very old. 
Pike set a hand on her shoulder. ?You?re in love
with him,? he stated with a sympathetic grin.
Aki turned to look at him like she was addressing a
newly discovered idiot. ?That?s not exactly a big
secret Pike.? 
Pike rolled his eyes. ?He DOES know, right? I mean,
you have told him, correct?? he asked, as Deanna slid
up behind him and slipped her arms around his waist
and nuzzled his neck. 
Aki smacked him on the stomach below the joined
hands. ?I said it wasn?t that big of a secret.?
?What he did to keep you around is what I?d like to
know,? he said with a devilish grin.
?That, Pike, is not for me to tell.? Aki said, in a
voice that sent a chill down his spine.
?Sandwiches?? Lucius asked, holding out the platter
of prosciutto and rye sandwiches, intentionally
interrupting a potentially disturbing conversation.
?Uh Lucius? You?re not a House Boy, you know.? Pike
said as he bit into the sandwich
* * *

The Master reclined on his throne and looked down
at the Anointed one who sat perched above the
Hellmouth entrance. ?Tell me Anointed. How long until
your power is restored?? 
The young boy turned normally chilling eyes to his
master and grinned. ?Soon, my master. Soon.?
A voice sounded from the shadows to the Master?s
right. ?You had better wait on that while I am here,
Hienrich.? 
The Master nearly fell from his seat in surprise.
?Who are you to enter my Lair uninvited!? he demanded,
reclaiming his dignity from the hidden speaker. 
As the intruder stepped into the candlelight
provided by the multitude of lit candelabra, the
Master felt something he hadn?t felt in over four
centuries. Pure terror. ?You... You?re dead...? the
Stranger turned his mantled head at a sudden movement
all around him as the Master?s servants closed off all
the exits.
?If you value your servants, call them off. Now.?
he said, almost bored. 
The Master nodded and his vampire minions fled the
chamber. The anointed One?s eyes narrowed and he stood
before the older vampire. ?Who is he Master? That he
frightens you so??
?His name is Graile, he?s an Elder,? the Master
said, with a hint of reverence and fear. ?What brings
you to Sunnydale?? He asked, turning his attention
back to Graile.
?That is my business. However, There is a Hunter
here, a friend of the Slayer?s, and he?s Mine. Steer
clear of him, the Slayer, and her people until I
return here.? He commanded, pointing a jet black
finger tipped with a needle sharp talon at the Master.
?Disobey me, Youngling; and I will make your torment
legendary in even the deepest pits of Cartoth.? he
stated before turning and walking back into the
shadows. 
A few minutes passed in silence until the Master
and his Chosen were certain the Elder Vampire had
left. The vampire turned to the little boy before him,
?I honestly thought he was dead.? He sighed heavily,
?I guess my plans will have to wait.
* * *
Stonehenge, Wiltshire, England.
January 1st, 1887, 12:01 am

A verdant spark erupted from the center of the
ancient stone circle. It expanded slowly to form a
green column of fire, a five hundred foot pillar that
could be seen for miles in the twilight. A bright
flash burst from the fire and a battered duffle flew
from the inferno and tumbled to the ground. Another
flash and a rapier flew out to land point first in a
plinth; a third flash, and a black leather sword belt
and scabbard tumbled down beside the duffle. The
column flared one final time as a human shape took
form and tumbled to the ground. 
Turning his head to the fire, he watched through
blurry eyes as the column dwindled to the light of a
match head ember, then vanish completely. Rolling
over, the young man stared up at the stars in shock.
Eventually, he stood, gazed up into the stars, and
brushed the dirt from his white silk shirt, scorched
black leather duster, and black suede vest. He then
leaned down to pick up the battered leather duffle
bag, and looked back once more to watch a tiny wisp of
smoke fade in the night breeze. Buckling on the silver
chased scabbard, he gripped the bone-handled rapier
and pulled the slim blade from the standing stone. The
blade made a hissing sound as it slid into the black
leather scabbard 
Clutching the dufflebag, the devastated man stepped
through the upright stones and leaned against one, a
tear glinting darkly on his cheek in the moonlight. He
looked back over his shoulders at the scorch mark on
the ground, as eventually, pain and despair were
usurped by a fiery rage burning in his eyes that made
the column pale in comparison. The Moon rose another
quarter before he turned sharply towards the nearby
town, eyes hard as the sapphire they were often
compared to. Using the stars to gain his bearings, he
headed for the nearest town, looking for evil to kill
and a bottle to crawl into.
* * *
Manhattan, 1996
3:19 a.m.

The shadow atop Newlander's nightclub watched an
outlandishly dressed young man as he sauntered across
the street towards an alleyway. He watched as the man
held a conversation with a street bum, and stood
unmoving as they walked towards a hot dog vendor. "So
it begins..." he whispered to the wind before he
dropped silently down to follow them, grinning a half
grin. ?This is gonna be good..."
* * *

Sunnydale, California
9:35 p.m.

Buffy and Jack walked along a moonlit Revello Drive
in a companionable silence. Buffy finally couldn?t
help herself. ?So what really brings you here from
?The City??? she asked mimicking parenthesis with her
hands.
Jack smiled. ?There?s a steel sarcophagus entombed
in a Mausoleum in one of the cemeteries. I?m here to
find it, bring it back to New York, and have the
remains within sanctified,? he said with nearly
tangible sincerity.
Buffy shook her head softly. ?So you came here to
find a large heavy metal object and carry it back to
New York in your convertible? Try again.?
?I wanted to see this hot little redhead you wrote
me about? Any, by the way, It?s an Oldsmobile Cutlass
Supreme.? he said, nudging her with his elbow.
?Cute. But no.? she said holding up two fingers.
?Strike two.?
Jack sighed as they reached Buffy?s porch.
?Alright. I?m hunting a vampire. A specific vampire
whom I have reason to believe is here in Sunnydale,
and there is no way in Hell that you?re going to
help.? he stated and leaned against the porch railing.

Buffy stepped right up to Jack and looked him dead
in the eye. ?You helped me with Ord. You?ve served as
my sounding board and helped with some of my serious
inner battles.? she grabbed the lapels of his black
silk shirt and pulled him down close. ?I owe you. So
what makes you think you can stop me from helping??
She finished, daring him to argue.
The front door opened suddenly and Joyce
immediately glared at her daughter. Buffy practically
jumped back from Jack. ?Most teenagers usually make
out in private and out of sight of their parents. Not
on the front porch in full view of neighbors.? Joyce
stated before moving out of the doorway and gesturing
them both in. ?Please come in young man, so I can
embarrass my daughter even more. Mr....??
Jack smiled his half grin. ?Jack. Jack Covington.
I?m an old friend of Buffy?s from Hemry. I was in town
to pick up an antique for my store in New York City.
So I figured I would stop and rehash old times.?
Buffy mouthed the word ?rehash? questioningly which
Jack ignored. Joyce perked up slightly. ?Your store?
You work in an antique store?? she moved the two into
the living room and sat in a chair as Jack settled on
the couch opposite the young Slayer.
?No, I own it. It?s called Time and Again. I travel
everywhere searching for antiques and relics to stock
my shelves. I caught wind of a painting by Moshain and
I heard a gallery here possessed it.? he answered her
casually.
Buffy yawned obnoxiously, dropped onto the couch
and stretched. Joyce?s eyes bugged slightly. ?My
gallery has that painting. I spoke on the phone with
someone over it. A very polite man, he said his name
was Lucas??
Buffy?s eyebrows narrowed with a sudden thought
then shook her head in dismissal. She looked up into
Jack?s eyes as he subtly nodded. ?That was Lucius.
He?s in charge of the paper work. I just find the
goodies and bring them back.? Buffy gave him the ?We
need to talk? look and headed to the kitchen for a
coke. 
Over the next two hours, Joyce gave Jack a tour of
their house, with a scathing narration by Buffy during
the first half until her Mother glared and banished
her to the kitchen. Jack gave Joyce a great deal of
information on many pieces of her antique collection.
Eventually, they slipped back into the living room
after flipping through Joyce?s record collection to
find Buffy in a very deep sleep on the sofa. ?I guess
we left her alone too long.? Joyce whispered to the
charming young man. ?Come on. We can talk in the
kitchen.? they moved quietly into the kitchen and
Joyce prepped a pot of tea on the stove. Jack leaned
against the counter and crossed his arms over his
chest. ?How long have you and Buffy been dating?? she
asked completely calmly.
Jack snapped his head to the left to look at Joyce
in bewilderment. ?I assure you Mrs. Summers. Buffy and
I are NOT intimate. If we were I would have stated so
earlier this evening.? he said with a sincere smile.
?I?m just someone B trusts.? they drank their tea in
companionable silence.
Joyce accepted his answer with a nod after a moment
of thought. ?I?m sorry. I?m a parent, I?m supposed to
be overprotective.? She looked up at the clock on the
wall. ?It?s just that it?s a little uncommon for
someone your age to be hanging out with a fifteen year
old.?
Jack nodded. ?She?s the same age as a friend of
mine in New York. I practically raised her so I feel
protective of children uh, teens.?
Joyce grinned and sipped her coffee. ?I must
confess that knowing that someone is keeping an eye on
Buffy is a little comforting given her past troubles.?
She finished her coffee and glanced at the clock on
the wall ?Is it that late already? I?m sorry if I?ve
kept you here later than you expected Jack.?
Jack grinned and set his tea mug in the sin after
washing it out. ?On the contrary. I enjoyed tonight.
Buffy never told me about your collection. It?s
rather...esoteric. I don?t have half of your Clapton
records.? Joyce blushed slightly. 
?Thank you. Um, do you have a place to stay in
town?? Joyce asked as they made their way back to the
front door. 
?I?m staying at something that vaguely resembles a
motel by the interstate. It?s... habitable. Barely.?
he said with a shrug. ?I?ve lived in a lot worse for a
lot longer.?
Joyce started shaking her head halfway through his
answer. ?I know the place. You?re going to go back,
get your things, and camp out here. The couch is
comfier and don?t bother arguing. I?m a Mom.?
Jack slumped his shoulders in defeat. ?There?s no
arguing with a protective Mother.?
?Words to live by.? Joyce grinned.
* * *

Willow sat cross-legged on the floor with her back
against her bedroom door, a framed picture resting on
her knees. Her eyes were red from hours of crying, her
life had gone from comfortable anonymity, to dangerous
chaos. In such a short time Buffy had changed her
life. Opening her eyes to the real world, the defining
characteristics of life, and a deep fact about
herself. She?s in love.
?God?? she asked in a moment of emotional delirium.
?Why her?? she dropped her head and wiped tears from
her cheeks. ?What happened to Xander? I wanted to be
with him! Why do I NEED Buffy? The one person I can?t
have. She has Angel.? She spoke his name with a
powerful acid in her tone. ?God Willow get a hold of
yourself,? she moaned to herself. Dropping her head,
her long red hair fell over her eyes obscuring her
view. Unnoticed, a book slid from her bookshelf,
floated smoothly across the room, and settled gently
atop her desk. More objects began to float as the red
head?s emotions raged out of control. 
The sheer despair of her situation hit her in
crystal clarity. ?She?ll never love me.?
Simultaneously, the junction box set on a power pole
near the Rosenberg?s driveway erupted in a fountain of
sparks, plunging the house and the surrounding three
blocks into darkness. Willow never looked up as her
room was cloaked in night. The distraught girl
sniffled as she felt fatigue creep up on her, dreading
sleep and the eventual dreaming.
Every dream she had was of the Slayer, dreams of
such bliss and contentment, that dawn brought with it
a renewed sense of loss that cut deeper each day.
?What is wrong with me?? she whimpered in a tiny
voice.
Willow pulled her knees tighter against her chest
as fresh tears started to well in her already red
eyes. She awoke thus eight hours later, her neck a
dull throbbing pain that added to the deep pain in her
temples and the dead lump in her chest. 
* * *

Jack lay relatively stretched out on Joyce?s couch,
his feet draped on the arm of the sofa after having
carried the nearly comatose Slayer upstairs. Before
leaving the young blonde?s room, he unlatched the
window and packed her slaying bag and set it atop the
windowsill. Standing in the doorway, he had looked
down at the slumbering Slayer and grinned before
closing the door. Now, in black silk boxers and
bare-chested, he lay comfortable for the first time in
a long while. Jack smiled a calm smile and, in a short
moment, did something he rarely did outside of his
building in Manhattan, he relaxed.
Upstairs in her bed, Buffy was deep in Morpheus?
grasp, a dream she couldn?t distinguish from reality.

The Horse?s panting was getting more and more
labored as its rider urged the mount onto greater
speeds. The rider looked back to see if the posse was
still on her trail. The rider tossed long red hair
back over a slender, leather clad shoulder and reined
in the mount. Lifting the brim of her Stetson, The
outlaw wiped sweat from her brow with a bandanna and
regained her breath. ?Damned Marshal. I can add San
Diego to my ?Towns I Can?t Go Back Too.? list.?
Spying a road sign up ahead, she moved her mount
into a slow trot and looked back again to make sure
she wasn?t followed. Pulling the collar of her shirt
under the strap holding the holstered Winchester
strapped to her back to prevent chafing, she cast a
weary eye towards the mile marker. The road sign
showed two possibilities, Los Angeles to the
southeast, and some dirthole by the name of Sunnydale
to the west. The rider turned her mount North and
hoped the bar served decent whiskey. 
Shortly after noon, Alexandrea Ravencroft, or ?Red
Rea? as the Wanted Posters called her, rode into town.
She directed her horse to a hitch post in front of the
bar and slid out of the saddle with ease. Dropping her
hand casually to the Colt Peacemaker slung low on her
hip, she flicked the leather knot off the gun?s hammer
with her thumb and strode to the tavern?s door.

Annabelle Cooper wrung her soiled bar rag into a
water bucket and wiped her brow with the back of her
hand. Feeling a burning sensation on the back of her
neck, she shook her head softly and looked through her
fallen honey bangs in the direction of the stairs. She
knew who?d she see and sighed heavily. Lilly was
leaning against the railing above twirling a lock of
her dark hair and openly staring at her bottom. Being
the most popular of the Tavern?s ?Dancing Girls?,
Lillian Dufrane had free run of the bar, the
clientele, and of the other girls. Ever since her
Uncle had died and left her the deed to the Wild Horse
Saloon, Lilly had been trying to get into her
bedchambers. ?You don?t have a chance DuFrane.? Annie
whispered to herself. 
Peeking over the bartop, she spied the current
clientele. Ben Harris, the Gunsmith, that snake oil
salesman Vincent Pryce; and bizarrely enough, the
newly elected Mayor of Sunnydale, Richard Wilkins. The
Mayor noticed her perusal of the room and motioned
with grateful eyes to his glass. Annabelle grinned and
nodded, reaching into the icebox for a frosty bottle
of sarsaparilla. Walking over to the Mayor?s table,
she ignored the lecherous grin of the whore upstairs.
?Afternoon Mayor.? She said as she popped the bottle
open and filled his glass. ?I?ve been meaning to ask
you, where in this hot, hot, region do you manage to
find ice?? she asked with a sincere grin.
Richard thought briefly of the Kryos demon he had
conjured and bound to a small cave outside of town;
whose sub zero temperature turned the cave?s mineral
spring into a nearly endless supply of ice. ?Just a
deep cave up in the hills. It was a lucky find,
really.? He grinned and looked around the bar. ?I?m
very pleased with how you?ve turned this place around
Ms. Cooper. This was a very disreputable place.?
?Why thank you, Mr. Mayor,? she said as she made
her way back behind the bar. ?My Aunt Beatrice said,
before I came out here, that I?d never find a more
wretched hive of scum and villainy.? She said, not
noticing the Mayor?s suddenly suspicious glance. ?I?d
like to say Mayor Wilkins, that my Aunt must have
confused this town with another. I love Sunnydale.?
she finished with a grin as she leaned against the
bartop and waited for a new client. 
The doors swung open and a slim figure in a riding
duster, leather chaps, and range hat strode in, with a
small feminine hand resting on a holstered and
apparently well-loved Colt Peacemaker. The stranger
lifted the brim of her hat and cast her emerald eyes
over the room?s occupants before landing on the
bartending blonde. Just as their eyes met, everything
faded to darkness.

Buffy?s eyes snapped open and she almost expected
to see the stranger in her vision instead of seeing
her ceiling. ?Great, now I?m dreaming in Western. Wait
a minute... a name. Cooper. Annabelle Cooper. Oh man,
if this is real I?m never going to sleep again.? she
sighed and rubbed the bridge of her nose. ?This is
just too fucking weird.? Feeling a breeze, she looked
to the open window and her Slaying kit sitting before
it. ?Good idea, Thanks Jack.? she whispered to the
quiet house before throwing back the covers. ?Maybe
when I get back I?ll be tired enough to have one of
those Caribbean Willow dreams.? She prayed out loud as
she reached for a pair of jeans.

Fin

MacBeth,
The Kamikaze Scotsman
The Kilted Moogle 


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