Fic: Intervention 2/3 Vampire Stories B/W/X NC17

[Crys Loch <pagansoul@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

*   *   *





The moon was waning, half fading.  Jenny Calendar was seated on the 
small balcony outside her motel room, watching the moon set in the day 
and letting the sound of waves on the shore wash the anxiety from her 
mind.  It was warm, beautiful California weather, but Jenny could no 
longer consider it paradise.  A week had passed and she was still in the 
same motel room her tribe had brought her to that night.  Xander's room, 
they had told her.  She gave herself some time to adjust to the sharp 
blunt reality of just being alive again.  Promised herself she would not 
set out until she could stand.  Stand the shrill pitch with which light 
stabbed at her eyes.  Stand the dull roar of sounds that constantly 
pounded her ears.  Stand the pressure of objects against skin, of air 
filling lungs, of loneliness.  Reality first.   She had eternity for the 
other thing. 



She had made all the inquiries, purchased a laptop for research, her 
mind assembling the details to regain her balance.  Indeed, there had 
been an earthquake in Sunnydale and the area was now only a crater.  She 
didn't bother to see it again for herself.  She asked the motel staff 
offhand questions: her friends, separation in the natural disaster, did 
they overhear anything that might tell her where they could be found?  
It was enough when put together.  The sudden disappearance of three.  
Letters left in her room.  The others headed for Cleveland.  She didn't 
understand why they would go to Cleveland until one of the waitresses 
jokingly mentioned that they kept referring to it as hell.



Having the general location, the laptop readily supplied the specifics.  
Keywords in the search: watchers, slayer, Rupert Giles.  There was a 
website and a mailing list.  There was even a live journal.  The 
language of the entries was carefully couched and coded in a way that 
anyone 'in the life' as it were could easily understand.  This wasn't 
Rupert's doing.  Even if she could fathom the idea that somewhere in the 
passing of years, Rupert somehow made the leap to the age of technology, 
there was an informality and even humor present.  There were others 
involved.  Younger others.  Maybe, she had a chance at pulling him away.



Digging only a little further gave her what she needed: an address and 
even his phone number.  She must have stared at her phone a hundred 
times.  This... this needed to be done in person, and there was just no 
way to warn someone that their ex was back from the dead and wanted to 
come see them.  No way that she could think of and between putting off 
dealing with what she had been pulled from the dead for, she had thought 
of little else.  She was used to dating, before.  She had been good with 
dating.  And great with exes: the seeing them again occasionally if the 
sex was great, or if not, at least remaining civil.  But with Rupert it 
was left at something just becoming more than simple dating.  Maybe it 
was that their relationship formed on the precipice of hell, but it was 
falling quickly into something deeper.  Then... it just shattered.  Even 
then, like some 'thing' Buffy was always facing, it started to reform, 
join together seemingly of its own.  She felt the fear of it then and 
the call of it now: love.  She would just have to drop in, say hi and 
see what happened.  So she sat on the balcony watching seagulls scavenge 
for food and gathered her courage.



She could remember the person she felt she was and it all seemed so 
farther away than the few years that had evidently passed.  She used to 
love life, loved the living of it.  She'd bounce from festival to 
festival in the summer.  She would go out every weekend, seeking the new 
experience, searching for the next event.  The restaurant find, the 
coffee house concert, all this filled her personal time, before...  She 
remembered she used to love to dance.  She could feel nothing of that 
now.  And tucked deep in the back of her mind was a fear that nothing 
more of it would ever return.  The Powers That Be wouldn't be so cruel, 
would they?  It was nearing the time to leave these inert reminisces as 
a part of the dark haunting that would always remain in this room.  
Beginnings had to be made, hopes had to be believed and later this 
evening she would be on a flight to Cleveland.



* * * * * * * * *



A series of profane expletives streamed in rapid succession from 
Willow's mouth.



"Willow!"  Buffy glared at her friend in astonishment even as a smile 
began to curve the end of her mouth.  "You eat a sailor last night?  I 
didn't even know you knew those words."  She was chuckling now.



"Oh, I knew 'em this whole time.  Just feeling free to use 'em, now."  
Willow motioned to the newly purchased laptop resting against her bent 
knees.  "This is really starting to tick me off."



"What is?"  Buffy leaned closer to Willow and rested her head on 
Willow's shoulder to peer at the laptop's screen.  They were simply 
lounging through the daylight hours she thought.  Sitting against the 
headboard next to each other on the motel bed; reading, surfing, the 
kind of wasting time that generally didn't require creative swearing.  
"Willow, it's just Ebay."



"No, it's not just Ebay."  Willow countered, waving her hand at the 
screen.  "It's one of the few remaining Watcher's journals that didn't 
blow up with the building.  The family either doesn't know what they 
inherited or doesn't care."



"Why do you want a Watcher's journal?  Isn't all that yesterday's 
news?"  Buffy peered closer to the screen to read the details.  "Or two 
century's even?"



Willow tapped some numbers onto the screen and submitted another bid.  
"I'm starting to build a library for our new place, so I'm trying to 
gather all the texts I can find about not only Slayers but vampires."



"You think they'll come after us?"  Buffy surmised, putting her book 
aside and focusing on the conversation.



"No, well, not for a long while."  Willow hedged.  "I don't think 
they'll discover us so easily.  This is more for me, for us.  I want to 
know where vampires came from, what exactly I woke up in the 
potentials," she paused and looked curiously at Buffy, "why they seem to 
be mixy things after all."  Willow shrugged and smiled.  "I have an 
eternity of days to fill, thought I'd do some research."



"Willow, we know where vampires come from.  Giles like gave the whole 
spiel the first night you were attacked by them."  Buffy smiled warmly 
at the memory.  "Of course, you were feeling a little faint at the 
time.  You looked cute, but slightly ill."



Willow playfully pushed Buffy away.  "I did great for the first time, 
slightly in shock but... wait, you thought I looked cute?"



"Adorably shell shocked."  Buffy confirmed.



Willow mock glared at Buffy then glancing at the computer, let loose 
another string of profanities.  She keyed in a higher bid and sat back 
to watch with her arms crossed.



"Of course, that was then..."  Buffy quietly and curiously observed.



Willow sheepishly smiled at Buffy.  "Sorry.  Just find myself in a 
bidding war again."  She settled down and after some thought, remembered 
where the conversation had turned off course.  "I remember what Giles 
told us, but since then we've learned so many things about the Watchers 
Council, nasty things, I just don't trust what they say.  I don't trust 
they told Giles everything they know.  I just want to find some things 
out for myself."



"Okay,"  Buffy nodded her understanding, "so I get the big book gather, 
but why the creative cursing?"



Willow motioned towards the laptop as if the answer was in bold type on 
the screen.  "Because every time I find an important text, I end up in a 
bidding war with the same guy for it.  So far, I keep winning, but he's 
really starting to bug me."



Buffy looked closer at the screen then back at Willow.  "Which guy?"



Willow smiled, a slightly devilish tint filled her eyes.  "Watcher1971."



"Giles?!"  Buffy's shock rocked her back slightly before she looked 
again at the screen almost expecting to see his face.



Willow burst out laughing.  "Buffy, this is an internet site.  You do 
remember who Giles is, right?  Or did you eat an amnesiac last night?"



It was Buffy's turn to mock glare.  "Then who?"



Willow shrugged and watched the time tick down on the screen.  "I'm not 
sure.  Someone who survived the First?  A wanna be?  It is kinda fun 
when I win, even if it does cost me too much money.  Can you imagine the 
curses that would come from his mouth if he knew who he was bidding 
against?"



"Um, yeah," Buffy was suddenly feeling a little uneasy.  "They can't 
trace you with all this, can they?"



Willow just looked at her friend and tried to decide whether to forgive 
the question.  "Please, now I'm thinkin' you dined on blonds."



"Come on," Buffy protested and defended, "this is a Watcher we're 
talking about, some unknown Watcher.  I thought we were just 
disappearing from them, not engaging in cyber battle."



Willow relented quickly, her face softened and she reached out to clasp 
Buffy's hand.  "It's okay, I'm very careful, so no, no-one can trace any 
of this back to us.  Besides, it's good to keep these out of his hands, 
right?  The last thing this world needs is the Watchers Council 
reforming."  Willow turned back to the laptop when it beeped.  "Ha!  I 
win again."



Buffy squeezed Willow's hand and smiled at Willow's glow of victory.  
"Yay, Willow."  Her voice held little excitement.



Willow closed the laptop and set it aside on the bedside table.  She 
turned accusingly towards Buffy.  "What's that supposed to mean?"



"Last known meaning would be good job," a somewhat flustered Buffy answered.



"No," Willow countered as she crossed her arms over her chest.  "No, 
that was your 'I don't really think this is a good idea but she went and 
did it again' cheer."



Buffy sat up straighter so she could face Willow full on.  "Hey, I'm the 
original 'put a Watcher in his place' gal, but I don't see why you're 
bringing their attention and probable frustration and anger on us."



"I know what I'm doing."  Willow might have meant the words to reassure 
if there wasn't so much accusation in them.



"Gods, if I had a quarter," Buffy started then stopped with a short 
laugh.  "Wait, I do have a quarter now for every time I've heard that."



"You've never trusted me."  Willow accused, rage shaking her voice.



Buffy laughed again and shook her head.  She looked to the ceiling 
trying to calm her own rising anger and frustration.  Closing her eyes 
briefly, she centered her gaze back onto Willow.  "I trusted you every 
time, Willow."



"Ha!"  Willow blindly continued.  "When was the last time you really 
trusted me?"



Buffy couldn't believe she heard her right.  Anger flaring again, she 
tried to cut straight to the defining answer.  Shaking her head quickly, 
she brought her vampire visage in place and stared into Willow's eyes.



Willow looked away quickly.  "You do blame me for that," she quietly 
mumbled towards the bedspread, her passion deflated.



The demon relished Willow's pain but Buffy's compassion cut it down and 
she pushed it away.  She reached out and took Willow's hand, the 
connection calming and filling.  "No, Willow, not really."  When Willow 
looked up disbelievingly, she tried to place thoughts into the best 
words.  "I don't think you getting bit was your fault.  And... and I 
drank willingly enough."  Buffy paused and made sure she had Willow's 
full attention, held her gaze.  "I just meant that you got close enough, 
that it could happen at all because I trust you.  I've always trusted 
you.  That was never the issue."



"But there was an issue."  Willow wanted to pull her hand away, wanted 
to return to the anger that could buffer her from the accusations, but 
the warmth of the connection proved the greater desire.  "I was your 
loose cannon.  You needed a witch, your big gun, even a loose one.  So 
you learned to deal with the consequences and lived with the damages.  
That's all I was to you: a weapon."



"What?  No."  Buffy pulled herself closer to Willow, let their knees 
touch, brought her other hand to also wrap around Willow's and rested 
them on her lap.  "You're my friend, my best friend."  Seeing a doubtful 
look cross Willow's face, Buffy searched her memories for proof.  
"Willow, look at me.  I also trusted you with some of the biggest 
moments of my life.  And some of the most painful, too.  I... I broke 
down in front of you.  Fell apart.  More than once.  I've never given 
that to anyone other than you."  Buffy looked away briefly.



Willow clung to Buffy's hands, their connection and her words.  Still, 
she caught the meaning behind the adverted eyes.  "Except for Spike."



Buffy's eyes returned to Willow's, sure and honest.  "Only because I 
couldn't turn to you."  Buffy smiled and rolled her eyes, humor 
tentatively returning.  "And look what that got me."



"It's just..."  Willow ran her free hand through her hair and tried to 
collect her thoughts.  "It just seems that the only thing we've had in 
common is demons."



"The outside ones or the inside variety?"  Buffy cut in.



"You know what I mean."  A hurt insecurity still clouded Willow's 
voice.  "And it sometimes seemed that I just created as many problems 
for you as the demons did."



"Not even close."  Buffy assured her.  "Besides, I've been known to go 
off a little half cocked; head first; oops, there were consequences, 
myself."  Buffy smiled as Willow finally grinned in response.  "I'd say 
we have a lot in common.  We're a lot alike, as all instant best friends 
are."



"Instant best friends?"  Willow shifted a little uncomfortably even as 
her smile deepened.



"Yeah.  Remember?"  Buffy nudged her with her knees.  "My first day of 
school.  I saw you at the water fountain.  I said "hi" in the 
courtyard.  Found you at the Bronze.  I just knew.  And that was way 
before vampires and magic.  Well, vampires followed very soon after.  
But magic wasn't even on the radar."



Willow smiled at the long forgotten memories.  "That was the first time, 
of many I might add, you saved my life."



"I was so panicked when I thought something might happen to you.  I 
almost staked Cordelia in my haste to find you."  Buffy confessed with a 
grin.  Her face sobered as she continued with the rest.  "Willow, 
everything that happened to you mattered to me.  Mattered very much.  
Every time you got hurt, it hurt me.  I felt it so deeply.  That would 
only happen if we were best friends."



"Then why don't you ever kiss me?"  Willow's smile faded and her eyes 
darted to the bed cover.



"What?"  Buffy pulled back slightly.  "I kiss you."



"No, I kiss you."  Willow corrected and brought her gaze back unerringly 
to Buffy's.  "I always start it.  You start things with Xander.  But 
me..."  Willow shrugged.  "It's like you're just following along because 
I want it."



"This is a lover's quarrel?"  Buffy raised one of her hands and ran it 
through her hair.  "When was this a lover's quarrel?"



"When was it not?"  Willow pulled her hands away.  "See.  We were 
talking about trust, and... and issues.  You still see it as friendship 
and me with a quirky way of showing it."



"No."  Buffy protested as she tried to figure out another way of 
explaining it all.  "Willow," her hand reached up and smoothed Willow's 
hair away from her face before stroking her cheek.  "Okay, I get it.  
Lovers.  I'm just... I'm not used to seeing us like that yet.  It's 
unfamiliar.  With Xander, it's just, well, I know how to react to a 
man.  With you...  it's just still so strange to want this.  Before, I 
could look into your eyes and I knew you loved me.  You did love me, 
right?"  Buffy smiled as Willow nodded beneath her hand.  "And I could 
feel how much I loved you.  That part's gone.  And I'm not used to how 
it happens now.  That's all.  Please, you have to believe me.  I love you."



Willow was startled not only by the words but by Buffy's thumb gently 
caressing her lips.  "You love me?"



Buffy continued to stroke Willow's face.  "I love you.  Please believe 
me."  She leaned forward and pressed her lips to Willow's.  Buffy 
deepened the kiss, pushing them both back down on the bed.  Suddenly, 
she pulled up slightly and started to gently laugh.



"What's so funny?"  Willow lay beneath Buffy, doubt coloring her features.



"I'm sorry," Buffy was quick to try and consol.  "It's just, I was 
surprised at how much I was suddenly looking forward to the make-up sex."



"Make-up sex."  Willow repeated, her hand moving to stroke Buffy's back 
as her confidence returned.



"Well," Buffy teased playfully, "we had our first real lover's quarrel, 
we have to have the make-up sex."  She bent down and slowly traced 
Willow's lips with her tongue before slipping it inside Willow's mouth 
with a sensual, controlled kiss.  Ending the kiss and pulling up 
slightly, Buffy's lips curled to a devilish grin.  "And you won't doubt 
me again after I'm through with you."



Willow brought her hand up to stroke Buffy's hair.  "Doubt is in my 
nature.  You might have to show me more than once."



Buffy's fingers trailed their way up Willow's thigh to her center.  
"I'll put it on my list of things to do for eternity."  As her fingers 
began stroking Willow's clit softly, Buffy began a slow journey down 
Willow's body with a series of gentle and exploratory kisses.  Willow 
was right in a way, but once started, Buffy was now far more comfortable 
with the erotic motions of this dance.  The link that strengthened as 
touch grew intimate was at first comforting and sated the bond of 
friendship; but now, and somewhere over the passing weeks, the textile 
expression of deep friendship had distilled to sensations of desires and 
pleasure.  Finally admitting that, Buffy started to investigate Willow's 
reactions, seeking only her pleasure.  She felt Willow's fingers tangle 
in her hair, trying to urge her forward and further down.  She ignored 
it, pausing her lips' journey down Willow's neck to rake her teeth over 
and lightly nip at the scarred bite marks.  She inhaled the 
complimenting and familiar scents of Willow's shampoo and soap, tasted 
the dry cool skin over Willow's collar bone as she continued her slow 
controlled journey of kisses.  She felt Willow's fingers tighten around 
her scalp and insist she move faster and more directly.  Instead she 
continued her light kisses down the center of Willow's chest, eventually 
sliding to the side to curl her tongue under the curve of Willow's 
breast, circling up to the nipple, then slowly crossing to the other 
breast.  Buffy smiled as she felt Willow give up and in, Willow's hand 
limply falling to the side and her legs parting, sliding open.  Buffy 
continued her fingers' light tease over Willow's cunt, slick and swollen 
with need.  "Buffy?" she heard her name called out as a question as 
teeth grazed over a nipple before lips started kissing their way down 
and a tongue dipped playfully into a navel.  Buffy looked up into 
Willow's questioning eyes.  Doubt, still?  She answered by twirling her 
tongue over skin, dipping it again into Willow's navel before continuing 
her explorations.  Buffy traveled aside from Willow's center to kiss the 
inside of her thigh, then watched as she gently pushed two fingers into 
her lover.  Lover.  This is how you touch a lover.  Buffy felt Willow's 
thigh twitch against her cheek, muscles tighten around her fingers.  
Willow's pleasure reverberated in Buffy's core through their connection 
and she pushed her need aside.  Continuing her gentle thrusts into 
Willow, Buffy restarted her oral explorations down the inside of 
Willow's leg.  She paused at the knee and spent a moment solely on the 
sensitive underside before crossing to the other knee and a slow, 
teasing path up and towards Willow's center.  Buffy kept her eyes open, 
watching as Willow's fluttered shut, noticing shudders ripple through 
her body.  She felt muscles twitch beneath her lips, inhaled the now 
familiar scent of Willow's sex.  Memories flooded into her through their 
connection along with the rising passion and she let them filter in, 
dropping lips and tongue along the inside of Willow's thigh each time 
she recalled an aborted impulse to kiss her friend over the years.  Her 
fingers continued their stroking as her lips finally caressed Willow's 
clit.  Buffy smiled as she heard Willow's resounding and emphatic 
"yes".  Caressing with tongue and lips, Buffy sped the movement of her 
hand, listening as Willow's control slipped and she slid ever closer to 
orgasm.  Willow seemed to explode off the edge and Buffy had to hold her 
hips down and steady as her fingers continued to seduce wave after wave 
of shuddered pleasure.  With a final kiss just below the navel, Buffy 
removed her fingers and stretched out beside Willow, gently stroking the 
hair from Willow' face. 



"Wow," Willow dazedly muttered.  She searched for something she should 
say, could say, and settled for what kept repeating through her mind.  
"What was that?"



Buffy chuckled softly and bent forward to brush her lips across 
Willow's.  "That was me kissing you."



"Over and everywhere and now I can't move."  Willow weakly raised her 
arm and let it drop in example.  "I'll never be able to move again."



Buffy wrapped herself over and into Willow's side, resting her head on 
Willow's chest and listening to her heart not beat, the silence beneath 
her ear oddly comforting and eerily familiar.  "It's okay."  Buffy 
trailed her fingers lightly over the outside of Willow's thigh and over 
her hip.



"No," Willow protested as she limply settled her hand over Buffy's 
shoulder, holding her close.  "I need to... want to..."



"Good," Buffy gently interrupted and looked up into Willow's eyes.  "I 
want you to."



"Well, yeah,"  Willow smiled.



"No," Buffy was quick to clarify, "I want you to.  I want you."



Willow chuckled lightly.  "Then you shouldn't have broke me."



"You'll live," Buffy deadpanned in return.



"When did this change for you?  Between us."  Willow's mental functions 
were slowly returning, and questions were still the first to swim 
through her mind.



"I don't know," Buffy honestly admitted.  She held Willow's eyes with 
her own and watched her reactions. 



"Is this real?" Willow quickly followed Buffy's answer, searching her eyes.



"Yes."  Buffy watched Willow's shy smile form and smiled herself in 
response as she felt Willow's fingers run through her hair.  "Yes."  
Questions of her own started to push through Buffy's mind.  "When did it 
change for you?"  She waited patiently as Willow's mouth opened and then 
closed in adverted response.



"College."  Willow eventually admitted.  "Maybe high school."



Buffy smiled and held Willow closer.  "Sorry it took me so long."  She 
watched a surprised joy cross Willow's features.  "And Xander?  Has best 
friends crossed the line to lovers for you and Xander?"



Willow continued to stroke Buffy's hair as she sought an answer.  "I 
think so.  It's hard to tell.  I always loved him.  Always wanted him."



"Even post 'gay now'?" Buffy teased.



Willow smiled gently with the memories.  "Yeah.  But Xander's not 
exactly Xander any more."



"He is with us."  Buffy objected.



"It's tearing him apart a little."  Willow voiced her concern.



"It is."  Buffy conceded.



"And you?  You and Xander?" Willow continued these explorations.



"Yeah," Buffy easily admitted.



"Good."  Willow's smile was genuine.  "Cause he's always been in love 
with you."



"He loves you, too."  Buffy emphasized her remark with a kiss over 
Willow's heart.



"I know," Willow acknowledged.



"Wants you," Buffy followed.



"That I don't know."  Willow weakly challenged.



"I do."  There was no doubt in Buffy's tone.  "I think maybe all this 
has been coming for a long time now."



"Really?"  The surprise was easily heard in Willow's voice.



"Yeah."  Buffy took some time to clarify the sudden thoughts in her 
head.  "I mean I know how I felt about you both every time I thought it 
would be the end.  Looking back..."  Buffy shrugged.  "Maybe the three 
of us, this relationship, just got a shove from a strange alternate 
direction."



"So when there was finally an end it began?"  Willow shook her head a 
little.



"Irony, much?"  Buffy chuckled in response.



"The only way I've seen humor as a natural force in this world," Willow 
agreed.  She stretched herself under Buffy and settled back.  "Thank god 
for vampire recovery."



Buffy glanced up at Willow, the incongruity of the statement making her 
brows knit.  "Huh?"



Willow smiled, an evil glint in her eyes.  She started to run her 
fingers over Buffy's spine.  "My strength's returning."



"Oh."  Buffy's leg started to move over Willow's.  "And that means what 
exactly?"



"My turn."  Willow pulled Buffy up to her and rolled them over, bending 
forward to lightly trace her lips over Buffy's.



Buffy wrapped her arms over Willow's back and opened her thighs, seeking 
the friction of Willow's leg against her sex.  The desire she had 
carefully and forcefully  banked aside cascaded over her.  She ached for 
it, surprised yet familiar with the pain.  The deliberate intimacy with 
which she had touched Willow cut and drove their connection to her core; 
seven years of their war torn, dynamic and irrevocable bond collected 
and condensed to the flash point: a desire greater than need and 
threatening to explode at just the spark of a kiss.  "Don't..." Buffy 
voice shook with effort.  "Don't tease me," she pleaded and warned.



"Why not?"  Willow raised slightly from the brief kiss.  "You kept me on 
edge for hours."



"Wasn't hours."  Buffy pressed herself against Willow's thigh, her body 
rolling seductively beneath Willow's. 



"Felt like..."  Willow's words trailed off as her eyes noticed the 
heated gaze of Buffy's.  She felt nails dig into her back.  As she 
parted her lips and before she could form the words, she watched the 
spark in Buffy's eyes briefly brighten and felt the fingers on her back 
tense as Buffy pulled herself up and she was suddenly swept in the 
passion of a deep, overwhelming kiss.



Buffy dropped back onto the bed.  Her hand tangled in Willow's hair and 
held her close.  Buffy's eyes stared into Willow's as she licked the 
kiss from her lips.  "Want you," she confessed.  "Need you," Buffy 
paused and searched for the openness in Willow's eyes.  In a breathless 
whisper, she continued the confession, "need you to fuck me, Willow."



Willow not only heard the words but felt them vibrate through her.  Her 
eyes swept over Buffy's lithe body; watched its constant, rhythmic 
sway.  She had never seen Buffy so naked.  Willow tensed her leg into 
the slick pressured rocking against her thigh.  She watched Buffy's eyes 
flutter closed and her body arch beneath her.  Buffy's head fell back 
and Willow trailed her finger down her bared neck, teasing the scars of 
bite marks.  Exposed, revealed, betrayed, forgiven, Slayer, Vampire... 
impressions concealed in words tumbled through Willow's mind.  The 
moment frozen and intentions forgotten, Willow just stared at the 
offering.  The demon within Willow growled deep from her throat as the 
traces of Slayer still locked inside Buffy radiated as almost a scent.  
Willow noticed Buffy's eyes tighten shut, and heard the responding moan 
escape.  The intermission was broken as craving passion ignited and 
consumed the space between them.  Willow's mouth fell to the exposed 
neck; tonguing, nipping and sucking; human caresses covering and marking 
over the evidence of demon conquests, willing Buffy to submit to her.  
Forcefully, confidently, Willow entered Buffy with three fingers.  
"Willow!" she heard Buffy's cry carry past her ear.  She felt muscles 
twitch, relax, and consent to the intrusion.  She kept the rhythm of her 
fingers slow, drawn and deep; sliding her own body over Buffy's at a 
matching pace- soft, dry and cool skin teasing and tingling in tangible 
connection.  She fucked Buffy in slow easy motions, the explosion of 
desire settling into a molten flowing expression of love, compassion and 
possession.  Willow willed it to last for hours as she listened to her 
name called over and over, but her thumb moved up to circle Buffy's 
clit, her hand sped slightly of it own accord, reacting finally to the 
pleading tone in Buffy's voice.  Her whole body felt Buffy tense and 
arch beneath her and she rode the climax, their connection plummeting to 
their cores as the storm passed and they lay together, exhausted.



A light slumber was broken by Buffy's gentle laughter.  Willow stretched 
and arched then curled back, draping herself over Buffy's body.  "What's 
so funny?" she mumbled directly into Buffy's ear.



"Poor Xander," Buffy answered.  She ran the tips of her fingers up and 
down Willow's spine.



"As in poor Xander missed it?  Or poor Xander's been working too hard at 
the new place?"  Willow peeked outward with her vampire senses; there 
was still a few hours of daylight left and according to her moon 
calendar, the half moon was probably just setting.



"Oh, I should probably say both, but I really just meant the first 
one."  Buffy clarified.  "So, we good now, lover?"



Willow smiled.  "I like hearing that."  She started to run her fingers 
randomly over Buffy's chest.  "That was... wow.  I'm not sure what that 
was.  But good.  It's all good."



"Yeah," Buffy leaned forward and kissed the top of Willow's head. 



"Xander..." Willow's words faltered.



"Xander what?"  Buffy felt Willow's head shake across her shoulder.



"Nothing."  Willow switched to clearer thoughts.  "He said we'd be able 
to move in tonight.  This is our last day in this crappy motel room.  
He's been at it all week.  We still need furniture, TV, stereo, all 
that.  But he said he'd set up the bed today."



"Yeah, I heard him mention the bed was all we needed anyway."  Buffy 
smiled.  "I can't imagine him lasting long without a TV, though.  We 
should probably, I don't know, reward him somehow."



Willow looked up into Buffy's eyes, a slight smirk on her lips.  "Reward 
him how, exactly?"



Buffy grinned and ran her fingers through Willow's hair.  "Is sex all 
you think about now?"



"It does seem to be almost as constant as breathing used to be."  Willow 
dryly admitted.  "Even down to the I don't have to think about it 
anymore."  Willow's gaze turned thoughtful.  "What's up with that?"



Buffy shrugged.  "Like you said before, it's the only way we have of 
feeling connected.  To each other, the world.  I know it's the moments 
when everything feels alright again.  Well, that and when..."



"Do you think we'll ever get used to how we are now?"  Willow wondered 
out loud.



"The big empty?"  Buffy guessed.  "I hope not.  Been there, barely lived 
through that."



"Yeah, me too."  Willow dropped a kiss on Buffy's shoulder.  "But Xander..."



"What about Xander?"  Buffy restarted her fingers through Willow's hair, 
hoping to coax what was on her mind into the open.



"Last night he left five bodies in the movie theater."  Willow pointed 
out as an example of her concerns.



"He is attracting too much attention, yeah."  Buffy intentionally seemed 
to miss Willow's point.



Willow wasn't fooled and slapped Buffy across her stomach.  "You know 
what I mean.  He's..."



"A vampire?" Buffy supplied.  "Will, do you feel guilt?"



"No," Willow softly admitted.



"Remorse?" Buffy gently continued.



"You know I don't."  Willow tried to bring the conversation back 
around.  "It's just, it's not like him.  There's big empty there and 
he's all used to it."  Willow snuggled a little closer to Buffy.  "And 
I'm not.  I miss him."



Buffy dropped her arm to wrap around Willow's shoulder.  "He comes back 
to us.  It's Xander when he's with us.  He's even giving me my 
kitchen."  Buffy tried to lighten the mood.



"Yeah, what's with the need for a kitchen, again?  Even I was kinda with 
Xander on that one."  Willow started to let her worry go, finding it 
very hard to hold on to negative thoughts while the bond pulsed so 
freely between them.



"It's not a home without a kitchen."  Buffy stated.  "Homes have 
kitchens, crypts don't."  Buffy's thoughts on Xander continued.  "I miss 
him too, Willow.  But he always comes back to us.  And 'I missed you 
sex'?- just as good as 'make up sex'."



Willow smiled.  "True.  And don't forget the 'thank you sex' we'll be 
having later tonight.  Plus, there's 'goodnight sex' and 'hey, we woke 
up sex'." 



Buffy laughed.  "Now you get the idea."  She grew quiet for a moment 
then whispered, "our world really tilted hard, didn't it?"



Willow felt Buffy grow still beneath her and started stroking Buffy's 
stomach with her fingers.  "The Slayer shrugged, yeah."  Finding the 
scar left on Buffy's stomach from that last battle and running her 
finger over it, Willow wondered aloud, "this never did disappear.  Do 
you feel super Slayer at all?"



Buffy watched Willow's finger trace over the scar.  "Violent tendencies 
without the calling?" Buffy tried to explain.  "I feel like an outlaw."



"Cool," Willow surprised Buffy.  "I feel kinda outcast myself.  My new 
source, very of the dark and deep.  Not evil, just... outcast," Willow 
trailed off.  "We should probably get some sleep."  She snuggled closer 
and relaxed against Buffy.



"Okay."  Buffy closed her eyes and rested her arm on Willow's shoulder.  
"Sweet dreams."



* * * * * * * * *



It was well into night in Cleveland when Jenny arrived.  She paid the 
cab driver and stepped nervously onto the sidewalk in front of the Sunny 
Hills apartments.  Ridiculous name considering it was located downtown, 
in the flats, and the humid summer night gave her the feeling of being 
trapped in an oppressive closed in cave.  'Or grave,' she mentally 
corrected herself.  She stopped at the locked front door, trapped by her 
own fears and staring at the call button next to the name Rupert Giles.  
The sound of someone coming down the entry stairwell on the other side 
of the door shook her out of her frozen state and she quickly backed 
down the stairs and to the side, out of the way.  Her breath caught as 
she watched a tall man exit the building and start down the sidewalk 
away from her.  'Rupert.'  She watched, stunned and mute as he started 
to fade from her sight.  "Way to show some courage, girl," she muttered 
to herself.  Trusting her snap decision to follow him, she quickly 
started down the sidewalk.



Jenny watched as the man entered a pub and she stopped just outside the 
windows to peer inside.  The pub was empty and she could easily see 
Giles sit on a stool at the bar and motion to the bartender.  A sudden 
flash of panic crossed her mind as she realized he could be here to meet 
someone, a female someone.  She stayed at the window, waiting.  He was 
older, Jenny realized.  Gray has started to show in his hair, he moved 
slower and with greater caution.  A loose, casual, button down shirt was 
left un-tucked over blue jeans.  He sat hunched over the bar, head down 
as he nursed his drink.  If she didn't know him anywhere, she wouldn't 
have recognized him at all.



Jenny noticed he never looked to the door or glanced at his watch.  The 
bartender moved as if this was routine.  She guessed it was.  He held 
himself like a man who had lost everything.  Maybe he knew what had 
happened to Buffy and the others.  Maybe she could be one lost thing he 
could have back.  Maybe, in the face of the evidence of so much time 
passed, it was long too late.  A mental tug o' war started as she 
watched him.  She needed life, needed him.  If she was rejected, she 
would be on the next plane to Seattle and the death she was bonded to 
and admittedly belonged with.  She wrapped tight around her fears the 
thin hope of love.  'A fool's errand,' her mind chided her.  'Then a 
fool for love,' she mentally countered and taking a deep breath, entered 
the pub.



Jenny slowly and silently approached Giles, wary of frightening him and 
terrified for herself.  She stopped just in front of the stool beside 
his and quietly spoke.  "Hi."



Giles turned, his face registering surprise before carefully slipping 
into an indifferent mask.  He turned back to his drink.  "I suppose 
you're here to let me know that we couldn't really kill you off."



Jenny's breath caught, she thought she felt her heart stop.  "What?... 
Rupert... I..."



Giles calmly started through the motions of continuing to nurse his 
drink.  "You needn't have bothered.  And don't you dare try and gloat.  
I can see through that bluff.  Of course you live on, in our hearts and 
so you appear as loved ones, but I am just as certain you suffer in defeat."



Jenny's mind was swimming and she felt faint.  Quickly, she took a seat 
and willed the tears not to start.  She gazed at his profile for 
understanding.  "Rupert, please, I can explain.  I think."  Impulsively 
and desperate for a second chance, Jenny reached over and placed her 
hand over his left hand, stilling his attempt to casually drink on.



Giles snatched his hand away and placed it on his chest in an effort to 
calm his heart.  He turned to the woman seated next to him, the woman 
who had just touched him.  "Jenny?"  He shook his head and glanced at 
his drink, wondering just how many he had before remembering he hadn't 
been here that long.  "It can't be."  He looked up again at the woman 
looking just as he remembered.  "Is it you?"



Jenny tried to smile.  "Hi.  No, wait.  I already said that, and 
then...  Rupert, yes, it's really me.  It's Jenny.  I know it's been a 
long time.  I know this is sudden.  I even know it's impossible, but...  
I'm sorry, I had to see you."



"But how?"  Giles tentatively reached out and placed his hand over 
Jenny's.  He marveled at the feel of it, turning it over and running his 
thumb over the palm.  It was warm to his touch.  The skin was soft.  The 
returning squeeze, gentle.  She was alive, in the sense of not being 
undead.  His Jenny was alive.



Jenny closed her eyes and lowered her head a moment as she tried to 
swallow the pain.  Raising her head slightly, she looked into Giles' 
eyes and couldn't help but notice the tiny lines around them.  "The 
tribe.  My own tribe.  They summoned," she shook her head, "resurrected 
me.  About a week ago, I found myself back from the dead."  Seeing the 
dark look in his eyes, she tried to lighten the explanation.  "You know 
Sunnydale, these things happen."



"Sunnydale's gone."  Giles tone was dark and pulled his hand away to 
grasp his drink once again.



"Yeah, I saw that."  Jenny gave him a moment to drink, to collect his 
thoughts.  The silence began to stretch out.



"Why?" Giles asked into the silence.



"Why did I come find you?  Or why did they pull me from the grave?"  
Jenny tried to keep her tone light.  She glanced at the bartender, 
wondering how much of this he was overhearing.



Giles smiled tightly.  "Any of it.  It seems to be my question to 
everything in general recently."



Jenny decided to try and steer the conversation away from the specifics 
just yet and out of the public place altogether.  "Is there somewhere 
more private we could go to talk?"



Giles smiled and looked around the empty pub.  "Not much need really, 
but yes.  Yes, we can go to my apartment."  He stood up and left some 
money on the bar top.  Taking Jenny's hand, he helped her to her feet as 
well.  She held tight to his hand and grateful he seemed just as 
reluctant to let it go, they walked back to the apartment complex.



Jenny sat curled on the sofa, her feet tucked beneath her and her hand 
resting on Giles' shoulder.  He sat beside her, facing her, occasionally 
reaching up to pull a stray strand of hair away from her face and 
confirm that she was really there.  A couple hours had passed as Jenny 
told the story of how she came to be here.  She left out details, 
skirted around the terrible news when it was discovered he did not 
know.  'Just one night,' she begged the fates, 'just one night.  
Tomorrow would be soon enough.'



"Those are powerful magics," Giles wondered aloud.  "I don't understand, 
if they can just bring back their loved ones, why did they curse Angel?"



Jenny looked down at her lap.  Angel had entered the conversation as the 
last clear memories she had.  "They don't do this to the ones they love."



As she started to cry, Giles pulled her to him and wrapped his arms 
around her to hold her close.  He stroked her back as she softly shook 
in his arms.  His mind kept going over the pieces of story she gave 
him.  He knew parts were left out.  What was uncertain was how willing 
he was to press when all he wanted to do was be grateful she had 
returned.  His mind kept reminding him of Buffy's own return from the 
dead, though; and the great consequences of keeping secrets.  Feeling 
Jenny start to rise from his arms, Giles let her lean back only to take 
her hands in his own.  "Jenny, I've asked, you haven't answered, I'll 
ask again, because I need to know... why did they bring you back?"  He 
shushed her instant sidestep reply with a finger against her lips.  "I'm 
grateful you're back.  I'm beyond happy to see you once again.  You have 
never left my thoughts over these years.  Your death was one of my 
greatest pains and to hold you in my arms again... one of my most 
wondrous moments.  Please..." he search for the right words, a winning 
argument, then settled for the simplest.  "Please trust me."



"I do, Rupert," Jenny was so quick to reply, she almost continued with 
the whole truth.  Instead, she pulled up a little, looked deep into his 
eyes, and stroked his cheek with her fingers in wonder.  "I trust you.  
I'll tell you, everything.  Not tonight.  Tomorrow, I swear.  But 
tonight... can it just be you and me tonight?  Can I stay here tonight?"



Giles relented, telling himself he would hold her to her promise to tell 
him everything tomorrow, and letting it give him permission to give in 
as he wanted.  "Of course, tomorrow then."  He stroked the hair away 
from her face.  "I'll sleep on the couch, you can have the bed."



Jenny didn't know whether to laugh or cry and so settled on letting her 
head fall back so she could stare at the ceiling.  "Really not what I 
meant, Rupert."



Giles let his head fall shyly for a moment.  He smiled warmly as Jenny 
brought her gaze over to his.  "I know.  It's just... I couldn't take 
advantage of you."



Jenny did laugh then and a smile softened across her features.  "Take 
advantage of me?  I'm the one that nearly shocked you into a coronary.  
To me, I've been alive for a week now.  To you, it's been what?  Three 
hours maybe?"  She took one of his hands in her own.  "I know it's not 
enough time to adjust.  I know so much time has passed.  But... Rupert, 
can I stay here, with you, tonight?"



"I must look like such an old man to you, now."  Giles just stared into 
Jenny's eyes, momentarily mesmerized not just by the beauty he 
remembered; but by the evidence that for her, time had truly stopped.



She smiled warmly as she stroked the gray hair at his temples and took 
in the little lines around his eyes.  "Not so old.  Tired, war torn.  
Different," she admitted.  Suddenly, she looked around the apartment.  
"You have no books here."  He was delaying his answer, and for the 
moment, she would let him.



Giles glanced around his apartment himself.  "Yes.  They are still back 
home.  In England."



"Home in England?"  Jenny realized, of course, that he was from England, 
but had always thought of Sunnydale as his home.



"The family estate really."  He elaborated no further, his mind still on 
the real question at hand.



"That's right, you left."  She remembered now that part in the last few 
stories her tribesmen had told her.  Seeing him pull back suddenly, she 
quickly apologized.  "I'm sorry.  I was only remembering, what they told 
me.  I don't really know, wasn't there."



He smiled and felt them both relax.  There was so much pain, guilt; but 
here, just in front of him, was a second chance.  He leaned forward and 
brought his lips gently across hers.



Jenny didn't hesitate.  She reached behind him and pulled him closer, 
brought her lips to his again and deepened the kiss.  "Was that a yes?"



Giles smiled and rising, helped pull her to her feet and led her to his 
bedroom.  The questions and the consequences could wait until morning.



It was like a dream.  Just like the many dreams he had over the years 
before morning and regrets stole the sensations from him.  He slowly 
rocked inside her, lightly ran his lips over hers, down her neck, across 
her ear.  He could smell the sweet perfume of her shampoo, hear his 
whispered name in his ear; there were details now, clearer than just 
another one of his dreams.  Still, it didn't seem real, even as they 
climaxed and lay sated and snuggled together.  They had both craved 
peace more than passion and the whole night remained as dazed as any of 
his dreams.



Half asleep and needing the bathroom, Giles got out of the bed for a 
moment.  Returning, the street light cast a dim glow over the bed.  He 
saw her then.  Laid out on the bed, the sheet tangled near her feet, 
head bent to the side.  He cried out, gasped, closed his eyes and 
reached for the door frame for support.



Jenny startled awake at the sound.  She looked around, first for her 
bearings, then for Giles; and finally, out of returned habit, for 
monsters.  She eventually found Giles across the room near the door.  
"Rupert, what's wrong?"



He gasped again and opened his eyes at her words.  He shook his head and 
glanced up again, watching as she moved, sat up, her naked body fully 
revealed out of the shadows.  "You're alive."  He brought his hand 
through his hair and tried to calm down.  "You were laying there, on the 
bed, and..."



"It's okay, I'm alive.  Remember?"  Jenny was confused.



"No, he left you there, he..."  Giles' mind was filled with memories 
more vivid than reality.



"Who, Rupert?"  Jenny was really starting to be scared now.



"Angel, Angelus."  Giles took a deep breath and seeing the fear in 
Jenny's eyes, summoned all his courage to cross the room and sit next to 
her on the bed.  Reminding himself that it was in the past, he took 
Jenny's hand in his own and kissed it, hoping to relieve her fear.  "I'm 
sorry.  It's just...  When Angelus killed you," he swallowed a lump in 
his throat and continued.  "He brought your body to my apartment and 
laid you on the bed.  When I got home, there was music playing, 
champagne, roses... red roses trailed up the staircase, candles lit, and 
a note."  Giles closed his eyes and clenched his jaw at the memory.  
"That's how I found you," he whispered.  He looked back into Jenny's 
eyes.  "So when I saw you asleep..."



"Oh, Rupert," Jenny pulled him into a hug and held him close.  "I'm 
sorry.  I didn't know.  I didn't know."



When Giles started gently sobbing, they both pulled each other down to 
lay on the bed.  Jenny held him, stroking his back, lightly rocking him, 
until the tears ended.  "I didn't know," whispered over and over.  So 
much had happened to them all since she passed out of the tales.  There 
was so much she didn't know.



* * * * * * * * *



"Hi honey, we're home," Buffy called out as she entered the second floor 
of the building and their new living space.  Willow followed, moving 
into the center of the still empty room and setting down some bags.  
Buffy kicked the door closed and set down her own burdens.  They both 
looked over the space.  It was cleaner, warmer than before.  Heavy 
curtains hung closed over the large window.  All the others near the 
ceiling were bricked over.  The wood floor had a polished shine, the few 
non brick walls cleaned with a fresh coat of paint.  "Look!  My 
kitchen."  Buffy excitedly hopped over to the back area and started 
peeking through the still empty cupboards. 



"He couldn't be hiding.  There's no place to hide yet."  Willow 
curiously scanned the room again.  She noticed Buffy's smirk and 
followed Buffy's look up to the lofted bedroom.  Xander stood at the 
glass wall, smiling down at them.



"I don't think he's so much hiding as waiting," Buffy observed.



"Well, we haven't checked out the bedroom yet," Willow considered.



"Still, smug it not something we should be encouraging.  Oh..."  Buffy 
watched as the look in Xander's eye turned from mirth to a more 
predatory hunger.  It was a confidence now within him she couldn't help 
but enjoy encouraging.



Willow smiled challenging back when his gaze moved to her.  "Rumor has 
it he did put in a nice big shower."



"And, I'm so tired of that crappy, dirty, smelly motel excuse for a 
bathroom."  Buffy moved from behind the island counter that separated 
the kitchen from the rest of the room.  As she passed Willow, she 
grabbed her hand and led her up the stairs.



Xander waited for them on the bed as they entered the loft bedroom.  The 
space was spare but warm.  A couple of dressers, a wardrobe.  A low 
platform bed tucked in the corner against the glass walls.  He had 
sneaked a few items over already.  On one of the dressers stood a framed 
picture of the three of them in high school times.  Buffy had snuck it 
onto the bus just in case.  There were also some candles, the massage 
oil Willow had bought on a whim, some books to pass the time.  Xander 
watched, slightly disappointed, as they crossed over to the bathroom 
area instead of joining him on the bed, but he smiled anyway.  Deciding 
to give in, he rose, followed them and leaned against the door jam.  He 
knew it would meet with their approval.  There was plenty of light, 
storage, no mirror and he had already stocked it with their shampoos, 
soaps, towels, all the etceteras he could think of.  "So..."



Buffy spun from her explorations and bounded into Xander's arms.  "Thank 
you!"  She covered his reply with a deep sensual kiss then pulled back 
and let him see the sincerity in her eyes.



"Yes, thank you."  Willow joined them and gave Xander an equally 
promising kiss.



Xander smiled, shook his head slightly and pulled them tight against 
him.  All day, each day, he struggled to keep hazy memories close so he 
could remember why they were anchoring themselves to such a human 
existence.  Now, there was the ease of it being so clear.  "Ladies do 
love their bathrooms."



"Ladies love a place to pamper," Buffy corrected, "women love a place to 
play."  She pulled back and started to undress.  Willow followed suit.  
"You've worked so hard, Xander.  Wanna get cleaned up?"



Xander's grin widened and he wisely refrained from mentioning that 
vampires didn't sweat.  Instead, his clothes joined theirs on the 
floor.  With some flourish, he opened the shower door and gestured them 
inside.  Indeed, as promised, it was a large shower.  He started the two 
shower heads positioned on opposite walls, then folded down the bench 
seat along the back wall.



Buffy pulled him into the spray and started kissing him.  Willow joined 
in behind them.  They took turns running soap over skin, then simply ran 
hands seductively over each other, trading positions, partners, the hot 
water cascading over them from both sides.  Buffy sat on the bench and 
pulled Xander in front of her.  He watched stunned as she lowered her 
head and her tongue caressed the length of his cock.  His jaw clenched 
when she lowered her lips over his cock and slid down to the base then 
slowly backed up.  "Oh, that's easier when you don't have to breath," 
she smirked at the discovery.  As she lowered herself again over his 
cock, Xander was just grateful his own lack of dependence on oxygen 
wouldn't allow him to pass out.  He braced his hands against the wall 
and wished he had installed a bar over the bench to hold onto.  His 
knees were shaking when Willow tired of watching and pulled him gently 
away from Buffy to sit on the bench himself. 



"My turn," she informed them.  Willow knelt on the bench over his lap 
and lowered herself onto him, followed quickly by a forceful and 
possessive kiss.  It wasn't often they joined this way.  As she started 
rocking to a slow dance over him, feeling him physically, not just 
emotionally inside her, she realized that if Buffy and her were now 
alright, it was past time to get honest and right with Xander.



After the shower left them with the strange combination of feeling both 
sated and hungry.  Dressed again, they explored their new space with 
greater attention.  Xander watched on warmly as they poked through 
everything, occasionally he pointed out some detail or other.  "The 
plasma TV will hang on the wall here.  And your floor to ceiling 
bookshelves are anchored in this corner as requested, m'lady."



"We need furniture," Buffy pointed out.  "A big sofa here in front of 
both the TV and the window.  Chairs, tables... some of this stuff you 
can just order online, but furniture is something you really gotta try 
out first."



"I know, it's hard to find a furniture store open this late," Xander 
quickly agreed.  "Big part of the problem, if I may point out again, 
with trying to live like humans.  You should have seen the trouble I had 
with materials order and delivery."



"But the shower part of human life isn't that bad, right?"  Buffy was 
quick to counter as she wrapped him into her arms.  "And we really do 
thank you," she added.



"We'll work it out somehow," Willow confidently asserted.  "But right 
now, it's time for dinner.  After all that sex, I'm starving."



Buffy laughed and Xander simply regarded his friend thoughtfully.  Soon, 
they were out onto the street and in the busy nightlife part of town.



"Cruise that club again?  Split up?  What's the plan this time?"  Xander 
always just let them decide.  Only once so far did his hunger and 
passion for the night drive him to run away on his own before they could 
counter the idea.



"Let's grab a light snack then hit the club," Buffy quickly suggested.  
"I feel like dancing to celebrate."



"Okay," Willow readily agreed.  Xander simply nodded his head.  He 
slipped out down the street and into the Blues club he had found.  He 
loved the music and there was a dark hallway that led to a side exit 
that led to an equally dark alley.  It was becoming one of his favorite 
spots for the discreet.  Willow shrugged at his exit and trailed off 
down the street herself, a quarter was pulled from her pocket and she 
started flipping it as she walked away.  Buffy stayed in place and 
simply scanned the streets, confident someone would catch her eye soon.



Rumors was packed when they met up again.  Buffy kept them on the dance 
floor for hours; mindless, worriless, happy in the experience of music 
and motion.  Eventually, Xander managed to pull them to the bar.  It was 
fun, but he was still restless.  "I'm thinking I should split, catch up 
with you guys later."



Buffy smiled but wouldn't let go of his hand.  "You're just weirded out 
by that cute guy who keeps checking your ass."



"You're just jealous he's checking out my ass instead of yours," Xander 
playfully countered. 



"It is getting hot and crowded in here," Willow pointed out, "and that 
makes for horny and hungry."



Buffy eyebrows rose and Xander smiled.  "Wait," Buffy stalled them 
before they could start away.  "There's another place.  I've been 
waiting to surprise you with it and this being a celebration night and 
all..."  She put a small pout to her lips to seal the deal.  "Come on... 
it's just next door."  Smiling in triumph, Buffy led them out of the 
club and over to the Hungry Ghost.



"This will bring back the home town memories," Buffy introduced as she 
opened the door and led them inside.  She continued over to the bar area 
and watched as they took in the surroundings.



Xander was the first to catch on.  "A demon bar!  Here?"  His initial 
smile faltered as realization hit.  He had been so focused it hadn't 
occurred to him that they might not be so alone in the small city.



"A small cozy club," a new voice entered from the side.  "The back rooms 
are more the variety spice of nightlife kind of place."  Jack smiled 
gracefully at Buffy.  "You came back."



Buffy's smile was genuine in return.  "And I brought friends.  Guys, 
this is the owner, Jack.  Jack, this is Alexander and Willameena."  
Buffy was confident they would catch on.



"It is a pleasure to meet you both."  Jack courteously nodded to each in 
turn.  "And a double pleasure that you have returned."  He offered Buffy 
a short bow.  "Please, let me buy you all a drink."  Quickly, Jack 
motioned the bartender.



Before he realized what just happened, Xander found the bartender 
waiting for his order.  "Ah, I'll just have whatever's good on tap.  
Thanks."



Willow had remained silent and more observant.  So when the bartender 
turned to her, she was ready.  "A Bloody Mary, please."



"Any particular blood type?" the bartender inquired offhandedly.



She wasn't quite that ready.  "Oh, ah, no... surprise me I guess."



Buffy chuckled lightly and smiled playfully to the same cute young vamp 
who was tending bar before.  "You remember what I like?"



He nodded and winked.  "Long Sloe Comfortable Screws."  He then turned 
to start on the orders.



"What was that about?"  Xander's voice held more threat than inquiry.



Buffy smiled and leaned into him, feeling his arms wrap around her in 
reflex and possession.  "It's a drink, silly."



"Was gonna say, not really how she likes it."  Willow smirked and hoped 
to cut some of the sudden tension.



Jack chuckled softly at the exchange, even as his mind was keeping an 
acute awareness of the interactions.  "And so I learn something more."  
He laughed at Buffy's mock outrage, but wasn't fooled.  He knew she was 
staying just as aware of her surroundings and his reactions.  This was 
merely a glazing of casual over the surface.  As the bartender returned 
with their orders, Jack moved his focus to the other two.  The one she 
introduced as Willameena was scanning her eyes over the room seemingly 
not paying attention to anything.  He regarded that curiously, surprised 
that one so silent would be so careless.  Then he felt her unfocused 
eyes pass over him.  Felt it along his spine.  Magic.  He wasn't sure 
what she was checking or what she had found, but he was suddenly sure 
she was anything but careless.  He moved his focus to Alexander as the 
two women traded drinks for a sip and held a silent conversation 
concerning impressions.  The young man also appeared casual, content to 
hold the young blond who remained in his arms.  He sipped his beer as he 
regarded the room, but Jack could tell it was a practiced, experienced 
ease with which he clocked all the details.  Jack had to acknowledge, 
however improbable, his suspicions were probably true.  These young kids 
were anything but and again he could only hope they would want peace.



"Well, I'm not sure if Joan has told you the rules."  Jack waited for 
their attention.  "I'm only a simple peaceful man and this is my 
sanctuary, my home.  I ask that there be no fighting, and since I 
deplore police even more than violence, I'll also request that if you 
find prey here that you take them elsewhere."  He smiled.  "You're 
welcome here," he had the curious urge to add.  Offering the group a 
short bow, he returned to the small crowd on the far side of the bar.



"He's nice," Willow offered.



"How many times have you been here?"  Xander feigned a casual question.



Buffy wasn't fooled.  "Only one time.  When we split up after house 
hunting."  She stroked Xander's arm in reassurance.  "Don't be mad.  I 
didn't keep it from you.  I wanted to surprise you.  There's a difference."



Xander smiled in defeat.  "Okay."  He kissed the top of her head.  "It 
is pretty cool that we kind of fit in at a place like this now."



"And it's nicer than Willy's," Willow agreed.



Xander drained the last of his beer.  "Still, as the man said, no 
hunting, no hurting.  So, if it's all good, I gotta take off.  I'm just 
a little antsy tonight," he admitted.



"It's all good," Buffy assured him with a small kiss. 



"I'll come with," Willow interjected, surprising them both.



"Um, Will, no offense, but..."  Xander started.



"I'm not gonna hold you back," she assured.  "Promise."  Willow took 
Xander's hand.  "Come on, it'll be like really warped old times."  When 
Xander laughed, she knew she had him.  She looked towards Buffy.  "You 
coming, too?"



Buffy smiled as she shoed them away.  "Nah, I guess I'm just in a club 
kind of mood.  Go.  Have fun.  Try not to make the front page.  I'll see 
you when we get home."  Buffy rose and kissed Xander again.  "Yay, 
home."  She then kissed Willow as well.  "Go wild."



Buffy watched them leave and continued to nurse her drink at the bar.  
She wasn't surprised when Jack sat down next to her.



"Your friends are as intriguing as you are," Jack started.



"We're not all that intriguing," Buffy mildly protested.



"Joan..."  Jack nodded gratefully as the bartender set his drink on the bar.



"Hmmm..."  Buffy smiled as she sipped her drink.



"What is your real name?"  He just put it out there.  Over the last 
week, as he wondered if she would return to his bar and what he might 
say, he had realized the direct approach might be the best way to gain 
her confidence.



Buffy looked over to him.  She guessed he knew; by his gestures towards 
her, by the way he assured them that they were welcome.  She found 
herself hoping he knew.  "Well, what's your real name?  Cause you don't 
look like a Jack, and 600 years ago, not that common a name."



He allowed the equality of the question and was willing to go first.  He 
even smiled.  "Jack is short and easy.  My given name, not quite so 
pronounceable here.  Shortly after birth, I was named Jambukhadika.  It 
means, 'the wanderer'.  And now you know why I go by Jack."



Buffy smiled though it told her little, still.  "You said here.  
Meaning, of course, you are from elsewhere.  So elsewhere would be..."



"Ah, but you haven't answered my question yet," Jack pointed out playfully.



"Tit, tat, and all that is it?"  Buffy smiled just as coyly.  "But you 
already know where I'm from.  So really, soon, it'll be even."



Jack grew slightly uncomfortable.  He felt the warning alarms in his 
head.  He never spoke of his personal life.  Much less, his past.  And 
if what he suspected was true, this woman was the very personification 
of danger.  Still, he had set this course and would follow it through.  
Besides, if it all was true; then this was something remarkably new.  
And when you live for 600 years, something new was a rare find indeed.  
He took a big sip of his drink.  "I was born and lived and turned in 
Thailand.  As I've already admitted, that was quite some time ago.  True 
to my name, I have since lived everywhere."



Buffy toasted the air to his honesty.  She could tell, it was a 
deliberate decision.  It was that fact that put her more at ease than 
the information itself.  "My name is Buffy," she softly revealed.



Jack let the name filter and echo through his mind and their silence 
stilled the moment.  He knew the name.  Knew from the stories that 
drifted through the demon community that she could be no other.  He even 
recognized her friends in the rumors.  He knew of Slayers.  Had fought 
and killed a few when cornered.  His experience of them was of rash 
young warriors.  Formidable, deadly, but children just the same.  The 
stories of this one... they had painted such a different picture that he 
had always cast them aside as brash exaggerations meant to balm and 
bolster a bruised demon ego.  Looking in her eyes now, he believed them 
all.  Fear.  He hasn't felt real fear in a very long time.  And never, 
never in his own lifetime nor the stories of times before his had he 
heard of a Slayer being turned.  He smiled, but it faltered some.  He 
noticed her face fell slightly.  He tried again.



"Forgive my shock, please," Jack quietly assured her.  "It's been so 
long since I've felt shocked that I fear I've forgotten the proper 
course of reactions."



Buffy took another sip of her drink and continued to watch him.  "We're 
still even then.  I'm used to vampires knowing what I am.  I've never 
been worried before about how they would react to it."



Jack did honestly smile then and relaxed slightly.  "So both our worries 
are needless.  Perhaps we should just continue our conversation."



"Maybe."  Buffy thought that maybe she should just leave him and avoid 
the barrage of questions she was sure would follow.  She could join her 
friends.  She realized she would just wonder all night what might happen 
next.  And she would miss the opportunity for questions of her own.  She 
cared.  She smiled to herself as her mind chided and reminded her that 
there had always just been some vampires that got her to care.



Jack took the smile on her face as permission to continue.  "You know, 
from the stories I heard about the Slayer of Sunnydale, I thought you'd 
be taller.  They made you sound ten feet at least and full of muscle."



Buffy laughed.  She nearly spilled her drink.  It broke the tension.  
"So I disappoint?"



Jack shook his head and sat back.  "No!  No, I daresay I'll find the 
real thing greater than the sum of mere stories."  He sat forward again 
and raised his drink towards her.  "I told myself if we ever met I'd 
thank you.  Before running away of course."



"You'd run away?"  Buffy was surprised.  He said he wasn't a violent 
man, but she was just as certain he wasn't a fearful one, either.



"Oh yes," Jack easily admitted.  "I value my life, so if I could run, I 
would."



That made more sense to Buffy.  Choice, not fear.  "So what are we 
thanking me for?"



"The world is here and the Hellmouth stayed closed."  Jack shrugged at 
her surprised look.  "I believe in a world of balance."



"So you haven't heard about what happened in the end, I'm guessing."  
Buffy ruefully added.



Jack's face grew puzzled.  "What happened, then?  Won't another be 
called?  No, wait, wasn't another called already somehow?"



"Let's leave all that for another time, okay?"  Buffy's worry was 
beginning to return.



Jack nodded in reassurance and understanding.  "We don't have to tell 
all tonight.  We don't have to say anything more of it at all right now, 
if you wish."  He leaned forward just slightly more.  "I must admit 
though, my curiosity is overwhelming."



"Curiosity about what?"  Buffy puzzled.  "You can't make me believe that 
in your long life you've never met a Slayer."



Jack chuckled.  "Well, never for conversation.  In fact, they've never 
said anything at all, really.  Just, you know, tried to kill me.  I'm 
curious how a Slayer became a vampire."



"Well, you know how that happens, a bite here another there, and..." 
Buffy playfully cut in.



"No."  Jack cut her off.  "I mean how..." he suddenly had to search for 
words to describe the impossible.



Buffy grew puzzled.  "I thought, you know, over some of these centuries 
that you've lived, you'd have seen this happen before."



"I've never even heard of it happening."  Jack stilled the conversation 
again.



Buffy processed what it might mean.  "So you're telling me, yet again, 
I'm the only one in all the world, blah, blah.  God! Do you know how 
many times I've almost dropped that whole part of the spiel only to have 
it come back?!"



Jack wasn't sure what she was saying exactly, but he smiled at the 
outburst.  "You believe in God?"



"Well, I've fought some, so..." Buffy shrugged.



Jack sat back and shook his head.  "Not the same, I think, but I'm 
quickly realizing I know so very little about you."



That pulled Buffy back to the present some.  "This conversation's 
getting tangled.  Let's, umm... So, what's with the name, 'The Hungry 
Ghost'?"



Jack accepted the diversion.  She was right, answers were only leading 
to too many more questions.  "In the Buddhist faith, it is one of the 
states a person could be reincarnated into.  It is a lower state.  Bad 
Karma.  A hungry ghost has a great hunger and a small mouth.  His needs, 
as long as he has them, will never be sated."



"So you're a Buddhist?"  Buffy did appreciate the poetry of the name.



An easy question and he could simply answer yes, or he could take the 
opportunity to reveal something he kept very close to himself.  He was a 
little surprised and oddly at peace as he answered.  "I am.  I was a 
monk, given to that life at a very early age.  It was all I knew until I 
was turned."



"Oh."  It was Buffy's turn to be surprised.  She looked around the 
crowded and loud bar that had so easily been just forgotten.  She knew 
he just gave her a secret and a curiosity to match his own.  She 
smiled.  "I'm guessing there aren't many of you, either."



Jack nodded.  "There are not.  Do you still feel you're a Slayer?"  He 
had to chance this one last question.  It would dictate so much of where 
they could go from here.



Buffy considered the question, still.  She had asked herself that many 
times over the past weeks.  Willow kept asking.  Xander only once.  
Still, it stayed in her mind as not fully answered.  "I'm as strong as a 
Slayer still.  Stronger even now, but that's another story.  The 
calling's gone: the protect and serve.  I don't feel a part of 
humanity.  But, to tell the truth, I had a hard time trying to fit in it 
before.  The violent tendencies I dealt with a long time ago.  I still 
want to come in a place like this and bash heads in, but now it would be 
just for fun.  Don't worry, I won't.  I feed as a vampire.  I enjoy it.  
So, you tell me, I guess."  A part of her hoped he could.



"You're still a Slayer."  Jack smiled.  "As I'm still a Buddhist."



"But how can I be?" Buffy protested his answer.  "I don't even want to 
save any of the humans in here from their soon to be one night stand 
with death.  Much less feel a calling or need to protect them."  She 
looked around the bar again, easily noticing the humans dancing and 
flirting unknowingly with vampires.



"A Slayer is not just an impulsive, mindless calling."  Jack watched 
curiously as he suddenly had Buffy's full focus.  It became clearer in 
his mind she was always a truer Slayer than the child warriors he had 
fought before.  "I am cast out of the mortal coil, the cycle of life and 
death.  This does not mean I cease to believe and value this cycle or 
the balance of all in this world.  And so, I am still a Buddhist.  Let 
me ask you, if someone in here was to suddenly stand up and begin, say, 
a spell that would end the world, would you stop them?"



"Yes, but..." Buffy couldn't find a counter reason right off.



"See," Jack smiled.  "And I would thank you, again, by the way."



"Well, that's just a survival instinct."  She eventually thought of 
another reason.



"But not one the demons share," Jack countered.  "My hypothetical spell 
master has no such concern, nor do all the real ones you defeated before."



Buffy's thoughts turned to Xander and she pushed them away.  "What do 
you know about Slayers?"  Buffy impulsively asked. 



Jack shook his head.  "That's something we should save for another time 
as well."



Buffy nodded.  Her drink was long done.  The night was growing to a 
close.  "I should go home.  The others will be there soon."



"Yes, your friends."  Jack rose as Buffy stood up.



"You know of them as well, huh?" She chanced she didn't reveal anything 
he might not heard of them already.



"Yes, I know.  Well," Jack clarified, "I know some stories.  Please, 
come see me, again."



Buffy smiled.  "You can bet on it."  Her face sobered.  "There might be 
trouble."



Jack smiled and took her hand in his own.  "You would not be the start 
of it though.  You, and your friends, are always welcome here."  He 
kissed her hand and watched as she smiled, turned and left.



* * * * * * * * *



Willow followed Xander back down Railroad and over along Holly.  The 
streets around them were dark and deserted.  "Where are we going?"



Xander turned to his friend and shrugged.  "Just away, I guess.  I still 
like just taking off and looking around."



Willow smiled her acceptance.  "Okay.  Just curious.  You know me, 
always had to have a plan."



"Well, if you like, we can go down by the marina."  Xander suggested.  
He wasn't sure why Willow was going with him and he kept kicking himself 
for wishing he was alone.



Willow took his hand into hers.  She had meant it, she didn't want to 
hold him back.  But she also wanted it to feel a little like old times.  
She missed him.  "That sounds nice.  But is anyone there at this hour?"



Xander was flooded with their simple connection and a little relieved to 
hear she was out here to hunt as well.  "There's always someone there it 
seems.  And usually only them.  No witnesses."



"You know a lot of the city now, don't you?"  Willow kept the 
conversation going.



"Yeah.  I like feeling that it's mine."  Xander admitted.



"So, what do you think of that bar?" Willow started towards what she 
really wanted to talk about.



"I don't know," Xander hedged.  "It's cool I guess.  Somewhere we 
belong.  It's just..." Xander looked over to Willow and smiled, "I was 
kinda liking the idea that the city was all mine.  Now I have to share 
it with a bunch of other demons."



Willow laughed.  "Poor Xander."  Her face sobered some as she continued 
with the part that worried her.  "You aren't afraid of them, or worried 
that one of them will recognize Buffy?"



"I'm not afraid of any of them."  Xander protested.  "We kicked demon 
butt as humans.  Now...  Besides, Buffy's a demon now, what are they 
gonna do?"



"Hold a grudge comes to mind," Willow absently answered.  "I didn't 
think of this happening is all.  I was so worried about the slayers not 
finding us, I didn't think about the demons finding out."



"Don't worry about it."  Xander pulled her a little faster toward the 
marina.  He could see a large luxury boat just starting in.  "We're all 
demons now." 



The private marina was just at the end of Holly, past all the downtown 
buildings and commercial docks.  There were condos and large waterfront 
homes just beyond it.  It was an area he enjoyed hunting in.  Xander and 
Willow jumped over the gate and waited in the shadows for the boat to 
dock.  There were large steel hand railings lining the path to the 
docks.  Xander started twisting the end of one, his arms flexed with the 
effort to bend and shape the bar into the pattern of waves.



"You're the mystery vandal!"  Willow suddenly realized and burst into 
laughter.  "Did you really break a statue off its base and reposition it 
on its head?"



Xander looked up and smiled.  He stepped back from his latest piece of 
work.  "Yeah.  You caught me.  Are ya gonna turn me in?"



"Of course not, silly."  Willow looked at the series of hills and 
valleys that now marked the once straight hand rail.  "But why?"



Xander shrugged.  "Why not?  I guess I like messing with things."  He 
looked over to the hand rail again and smiled.  "I think it's kind of 
artistic, no?"



Willow just shook her head.  "I like it," she decided.  "Let me try."  
She went over to the opposite hand rail and tried to bend the end 
without much result.  "Why can't I bend it?"



Xander walked over and stood behind her.  He reached around and took her 
hands in his own.  "Here, let me help.  Put your hand here and push 
down, pull up at this end so it will start to bend at your hand..."  He 
stood up some to let her continue.  Still, the bar would not bend.



Willow turned to her friend.  "You're stronger than me.  That's not fair."



Xander faltered for an explanation.  "I thought all vampires were kinda 
equal strength."



"They are," Willow confirmed.  "Or at least Giles and Buffy always said 
they were when giving us the be careful around vampires you once knew 
speech.  I don't get it.  Can Buffy bend things?"



"I don't know," Xander admitted.  "It's not like we've done the big 
compared strength, speed, I'm more a vamp than you thing.  I just 
started playing around is all.  Seeing how far I could leap, what I 
could do."



Willow was quick to grab Xander's hand.  "I'm not mad.  Honest.  I'm 
just a little disappointed I can't do the vandal thing.  Maybe we should 
compare though.  Not in a I'm better way.  Just, you know, to find out."



Xander smiled.  "Always gotta know, huh?"



"Aren't you curious?" Willow challenged. 



"Yeah, a little now," Xander easily admitted.  "Okay, tomorrow night, 
for the gold medal, let the games begin."  He looked up and noticed that 
the boat was slipping next to its spot on one of the docks.  "Come on, 
our late night snack has arrived."  Xander led Willow silently down the 
to the end of the far dock.  They kept to the shadows and watched as 
three people, stumbling drunk, attempted to tie off all the lines.  "You 
ready?"



Willow took a quarter out of her pocket and flipped it.  "I'm in."



Xander watched her, puzzled.  "What was that for?"



Willow placed the quarter back in her pocket.  "I'll tell you after.  
Right now, I'm kinda too hungry."



Xander smiled at her words.  Maybe this would be alright tonight.  "Then 
let's go." 



They slipped over to the boat as one of the men was climbing back 
onboard.  That left one man and one woman on the dock.  Willow hung back 
and let Xander choose which one he wanted.  He crossed over quickly and 
grabbed the woman from behind, silencing a scream with a hand over her 
mouth.  Willow acted quickly in turn and kicked the man to his knees 
then bent over him.  Her sudden bite at his throat kept any sound to a 
muffled whimper.  Xander watched Willow feed and kept the terrified 
woman tightly in his grasp.  She struggled the more she witnessed what 
was happening to her husband.  Finally, Xander bent forward and let his 
fangs slip into her neck.  He kept her head towards the man and Willow, 
kept her watching as he fed.  He felt her faint then die and always with 
the hint of regret at the end, let her body drop.  Willow stood up and 
stepped over the prone body of the man.  They glanced at the boat, 
hearing the sounds of stumbling and packing, but not seeing the other 
man yet.



"It's true," Xander smiled at his friend.  "You do grin as you feed."



Willow shrugged and shyly glanced away.  "So they tell me."



"What do I do?"  Xander suddenly felt the urge to ask.



"I don't know.  I guess I haven't really watched you before."  Willow 
remembered it was one of the reasons why she was here.  "Why don't you 
hop onboard and show me."



"Okay."  Xander paused just before climbing onto the boat.  "He's gonna 
run.  Don't let him hop off, okay?"



Before Willow could wonder what that was about, Xander had climbed 
onboard and gone down below to find him.  Willow stayed up top in front 
of the exit and waited.  The wait wasn't long.  She heard a scream, 
muffled by the walls of the cabin but still loud.  She looked around to 
see if anyone was about.  Then she saw the man running clumsily out of 
the cabin.  He made his way to the exit and pitched into a different 
direction when he noticed her.  Xander lazily came up behind.  Willow 
watched as her oldest friend played a twisted version of peek-a-boo and 
intercept with the drunken would be sailor.  The man was breathing so 
heavily he could barely make a sound.  She could hear his heart beats 
even when he was running around the other end of the boat.  She watched 
Xander play a while, the goofy grin she knew so well softening the hard 
edges of the vampire visage.  Only occasionally, did she have to block 
the man's escape.  He was so frantic, he seems surprised to see her 
there each time.  Eventually, he seemed to give up or run out of 
strength at least.  He crouched at the bow of the boat, pleading and 
begging.  Even her ears were deaf to his cries, she realized.  Xander's 
grin only widened as he approached the man.  He pulled him to his feet 
and for a moment seemed to consider letting him go as he straightened 
his jacket and dusted off the dirt.  Willow guessed it was only that 
somewhere in the chase, Xander had found a little respect for him.  At 
least, that was her impression as her oldest friend seemed to stand the 
man up straight and tall before pulling him close and sliding fangs into 
neck.  It didn't last long.  The blood was pumping wildly and soon, 
Xander was setting the man down on one of the seats at the bow.  He 
walked back to Willow, his finger swiping the blood off his lips before 
his tongue licked up the remains.



"That was fun," Xander greeted his friend.



"It looked fun," Willow admitted.  She had told herself and him that she 
would not interfere or hold him back.  She had stayed and let herself 
simply watch.  He was having fun.  And however much she could remember 
being in that man's place, she also remembered what it was like to feel 
the chase and the thrill of holding life and death in your hands.  She 
remembered it all still.  Most of all, she remembered that this man 
never stopped loving her for it.  She could honestly say now she would 
never stop loving him, all of him, as well.  She leant forward and 
kissed Xander on his blood stained lips.



Xander reached his arms around Willow and pulled her against him.  He 
leaned forward as she pulled back and swept her into another kiss.  The 
blood was still filling his body, the passion still swimming in his mind 
and the call of the night still singing in his ears.  Willow reacted to 
his desire with her own.  Her arms wrapped around him and locked 
together, eternity seemed to pass too soon when the kiss ended.



"Well, hello there old friend."  Willow rested her head against his 
chest, the stillness still amazing her.  "What was that all about?"



"Is that what we are?  Old friends?" Xander held her close and wondered 
aloud, feeling their connection settle deeper than the heat of life's 
blood ever could.



"Old friends, always," Willow confirmed.  Then she glanced up into his 
gaze.  "And lovers."



Xander smiled.  Suddenly, the cry and calling of the night faded to a 
muted hum.  Nothing in the world felt more right than this, no desire 
greater.  "I'm glad you came."



Willow smiled and settled back down against his chest.  "So, what now, 
pussy cat."



"Pussy cat?!"  Xander protested.



"You hunt like a cat," Willow informed him.  "You play with your food 
and mostly just scare it to death."  That there was a natural comparison 
to what they do now comforted her.



Xander faked a purr.  "But do I smile?"



Willow considered what she witnessed.  "You keep your goofy grin when 
you play.  It's odd, cause it softens the whole grr look.  But you get 
this intense focus when you feed."



Xander nodded thoughtfully, then grinned with a dawning idea.  "Hey, 
lets take this boat for a spin.  We can drop the bodies off out there.  
It'll be this whole CSI mystery for the police."



"Xander," Willow chuckled at the idea, "you don't know how to steer a boat."



"What's to know?" Xander insisted.  He pulled back and looked down into 
Willow eyes.  "Come on, just a short ride.  It's not like they need it 
now, so what's the harm if I bang it up some?"



"I can see you trying to bring this thing back in this little spot."  
Willow pointed out.



"So, we'll leave it out there."  Xander countered.  "More the mystery.  
We'll take the little one, what's it called..."



"The dinghy," Willow supplied.



"Yeah, we'll take that back."  Xander smiled in triumph at the whole 
plan.  "To really confuse them, we'll send it back out there on its own 
to drift around."



Willow just shook her head then surprised him by nodding her assent.  
They pulled the other two bodies onto the boat and with a little bump 
and struggle, managed to get it out past the marina.  Xander impulsively 
wrapped a line around each of their ankles like a string of fish and 
sent them all overboard to sink into the water.  They left the boat 
drifting and returned to the end of the dock in the dinghy before 
sending that on its way as well.  Xander stood for a moment and smiled 
at the result of his work.  Willow took his hand and they started for home.



* * * * * * * * *



The next morning, Jenny woke alone in the bed.  Her panic was quickly 
pushed away by the smell of coffee drifting into the room.  She rose, 
and finding a robe, put it on and wandered to the kitchen.



"I was hoping you had some coffee here," Jenny greeted Giles as she 
poured herself a cup.



Giles turned from his tea preparations and smiled warmly.  "I keep it 
for the ever present Americans that drift through my door.  Dawn 
especially would never forgive me if I were to run out."



"Dawn."  The panic returned.  'How could she be so stupid', Jenny 
wondered.  'Of course Rupert would have a girlfriend.  It's been years,' 
she reminded herself.  'He's moved on.'



"Yes."  His tea complete, Giles started sipping it, enjoying this 
morning more than any he could recall in a long time.  "I should think 
she'll be ecstatic to see you again.  Her shock threshold is very high 
by now.  This probably won't even seem that strange, I'm afraid."



Jenny was barely listening.  "Rupert, I'm so sorry.  I never meant to 
put you in this position, and now..."  His words finally worked their 
way into her mind.  "Wait, why would your girlfriend be happy to see 
me?  What do you mean, again?"  Jenny's thoughts ran through the faculty 
list at Sunnydale High, searching for anyone named Dawn.  Finding no 
matches, her stomach sank as she searched through the names of Buffy's 
friends and classmates.



Tea suddenly exited Giles' mouth as her words sank in, the spray 
covering the counter.  Giles tried to stifle the shocked choking so he 
could correct this as soon as possible.  Finally, he was able to gasp 
words out.  "My girlfriend?!  Dawn is most certainly not my girlfriend."



Jenny couldn't help but be amused as well as relieved.  She mentally 
took a step back from the assumptions and decided that she should better 
have at least a cup of coffee before launching into further ones.  She 
watched Giles start to clean the mess and tried to sound casual as she 
continued.  "So, then, who is this Dawn that gets morning coffee?"



Giles looked up at Jenny.  The mess was forgotten as he puzzled at the 
question.  "You know Dawn.  Buffy's younger sister.  You used to watch 
her while we..."  Understanding broke across his face.  "Of course.  You 
had already passed away."  He shook his head as the paradox became 
clearer in his mind.



"Buffy doesn't have a sister."  Jenny began to drink her coffee in earnest.



"The shift in reality would not affect you..."  Giles was continuing the 
realization as he poured himself another cup of tea.



"Reality shift?!"  Jenny poured herself another cup of coffee and sat 
down quickly.



Giles settled against the counter and continued to drink his tea.  
Jenny's words paused his thoughts and he avoided looking at her as he 
searched for a way to explain it.  Finally, he brought his gaze to her 
wary eyes and kept his tone soft as he tried to clarify the situation.   
"Perhaps, given the hour of the morning, it will suffice to say for now 
that Dawn was created, through magic, as Buffy's younger sister.  That 
same magic created our memories of Dawn.  So too, were her history and 
memories created."  He paused for a moment then added, "she'll remember 
you, Jenny."



"That makes no sense," Jenny concluded.



Giles shrugged and moved to sit next to her at the kitchen table.  "As 
you said, 'It's Sunnydale, things happen'.  It makes as much sense as 
you sitting here now in my apartment."



"So Buffy has a little sister."  Jenny tried out the words.  "How much 
younger?"



Giles worked out some approximation math in his head.  "Six years, I 
believe."  He reached across the table and lightly grasped Jenny's 
hand.  "Are you alright?"



Jenny offered a weak smile.  "It's just mornings are hard enough without 
girlfriends and reality shifts."



Giles covered a grin by taking a sip of tea.  "So how many of your 
mornings are usually filled with girlfriends if I may ask?"



"Mine or theirs?"  Jenny playfully countered.



"I see."  Giles continued to drink his tea, watching as she slipped her 
hand out from beneath his only to lightly slap it in turn.  "We do need 
to talk sometime this morning."  He regretted causing her face to fall, 
her smile to disappear, but so many immediate questions filled his mind 
upon waking.



"I know, Rupert," Jenny acknowledged as she got up and poured another 
cup.  She paused at the counter but the patience and understanding on 
his face brought her back to sit at the table.  "May I just ask you 
something first?  This filled my mind all night and brought only 
nightmares.  And it might be easier to tell you everything if I can just 
hear your answer first."  Jenny rambled in explanation. 



Giles sat up a little, concern showing across his features.  "What is it?"



Jenny took a deep breath then a sip of coffee before she chanced the 
question.  "Last night, at the bar, when I approached you, you said some 
things.  You mentioned not really being able to kill me off."  She 
looked down at the table.  "What did you mean?"



"Oh, Jenny."  Understanding flashed into his mind and he reached for her 
hand, then pulled it back, worried the touch might not yet be welcome.  
"Please, you must believe me, I did not think I was talking to you."  He 
waited until her head rose and he could look into her eyes.  "What 
heartless, foolish words.  Of course you had nightmares."  He paused 
again.  There was so much to explain too quickly.  "Our last foe, it was 
evil itself.  The first evil.  The whole, eternal."  He gave up trying 
to fully explain it and attempted to move on.  "This evil would take the 
form of our loved ones who had passed and use this form to torment us, 
play with our minds."



"So I was used by some great evil and I don't remember it?"  Jenny cut 
in and felt herself grow ill.



"No!"  Giles was quick to cut off the idea.  In a softer tone, he tried 
to continue.  "No, this evil would use the image of a loved one.  It was 
not really you.  It could never be you.  When you came to the bar, I 
assumed it was the First, trying to gloat that such evil could never 
really be killed.  When you touched me, I knew it was you."



"How?"  Jenny was feeling a little more at ease.  At least it started to 
sound reasonable.  Well, reasonable by Sunnydale standards.



Giles chanced a small smile.  "The first can not take corporeal form.  
There is no way it could have touched me.  And, you see, there is no way 
it could really use you.  Only your image.  Please, believe me, I 
thought I was speaking to it, not you."



Jenny slowly nodded and looked into his eyes.  So clear and honest, 
these eyes.  "Thank you."



Giles did chance a comforting touch at her words and gently clasped her 
hand in his own.  "There are other questions as well," he gently 
reminded her.  He pulled back a little and added ruefully, "Given the 
lapse in time, it's apparent there will be many questions."  He squeezed 
Jenny's hand a little.  "Some are more immediate than others, though.  
Jenny, I need to know, before this continues, why they brought you back, 
and why now."



"I did promise, didn't I?"  Jenny looked down into her cup.



"You did," Giles gently agreed and encouraged.  "It's just... I've seen 
this happen before.  It almost killed me."



Jenny looked up into his eyes.  "With Buffy, right?  They told me the 
story."  She looked down again.  "But that was because of a greater 
purpose, events foreseen, the hero needed."



"No."  Giles took his hand from Jenny's and cleaned his glasses 
absently.  His anger still flooded him at the memory.  "No, I believe 
those events would never have happened if not for what was done.  I 
don't know what you were told, but the reasons for Buffy's resurrection 
were complicated and many, yes; but in the end all too human.  And the 
consequences were great."  He looked up into Jenny's eyes.  "Please, you 
can see, I need to know."



Jenny nodded slowly.  It appeared it was time.  "I wish I understood it 
myself," she mumbled just loud enough to be heard.  She took a deep 
breath and continued more clearly.  "There's been very little else I've 
really thought about since coming back.  One, was finding you.  The 
other, why they would think they should do this and what I'm supposed to 
do."



"So, I take it the two things aren't really connected?"  Giles quietly 
thought out loud.  "Finding me and why you are here, I mean."



Jenny laughed a little.  "Oh no.  I can imagine they are more than angry 
with me at the moment."  She smiled.  "Now, ask me if I care."



Giles smiled in return.  "I dare say, there's no need.  I am so 
powerfully happy that you found me."



"Not for long," Jenny muttered and her smile faded.



"Jenny, I understand that clearly this won't be the most pleasant news, 
perhaps even the end of the world again."  He took her hand in his own.  
"But the end of the world rarely comes with a second chance included 
like this.  I made the horrid mistake of throwing away my second chance 
with Buffy due to my own pain.  I won't make that mistake again with you."



"What do you know about Buffy, Willow and Xander's disappearance?"  
Jenny seemed to suddenly switch topics.



Giles considered the question for a moment.  "I see.  Or rather I feared 
as much, I guess.  So this has to do with them?"  Seeing Jenny's nod, he 
continued.  "I don't know much, I'm afraid.  We were recuperating after 
the battle with the First and the devastation of Sunnydale.  The whole 
world was changed.  It felt at the time for the better.  Then we found 
notes left for us, and they were gone.  Their notes explained..."  Giles 
shook his head.  "There is no explanation for the total severing of 
contact.  They explained nothing, really.  Not for Dawn and myself.  She 
continues to look for them."



"Rupert!  She has to stop."  Jenny exclaimed, her head rising sharply so 
he could see the urgency in her eyes.  "I don't even know her, but I 
know she has to stop."



"That's not possible."  Giles informed her and shook his head.



Jenny looked up for a moment and fought the tears she could feel coming 
to her eyes.  "I know what happened, Rupert.  My tribe told me.  They 
told me it's why I'm here.  I honestly, I just... I don't know what I 
can do about it."



Giles' heart leapt and stilled for a moment.  "You know what happened?!  
Please... Jenny..."



She looked into his eyes and tried to be as gentle with the news as 
possible.  "One night, when you were all in that motel, Willow was bit 
by a vampire.  She was turned."  Jenny paused for a moment, warily 
watching his face for clues how he was taking this and a sign to 
continue.  "Willow killed her sire."  She left his muttered, surprised 
remark of 'strange' alone and started again.  "She then, somehow, and 
this is the impossible part, turned Buffy."  Jenny stopped when Giles 
pulled back suddenly.



Giles let the silence draw out, grateful for the break, the time to 
recover.  "Not so impossible, I fear.  Not for Buffy, I'm afraid.  Not 
if it was Willow."  He looked again at Jenny.  "Are you sure?  Are they 
certain?"



"Yes," Jenny gently whispered.  "There's many things I don't know, but 
this..."  Seeing Giles nod his head, she continued.  "Buffy turned Xander."



"Buffy turned Xander?" Giles cut in.  "No.  That..."  He looked directly 
into her eyes.  "How could they know this?"



Jenny shrugged apologetically.  "My tribe continued to watch."



"So the three of them..."  Giles swallowed the knot in his throat and 
closed his eyes briefly against the pain.  "You're telling me they're 
vampires."



"I'm so sorry."  They were pitiful words that didn't begin to approach 
the sorrow, but it was all Jenny could think to say.



"I thought I had steeled my mind, first with Angel, then with Spike, I 
thought I prepared myself for this."  Giles shook his head.  "We had 
just won.  Well and truly won.  Buffy could have... she could have been 
the first Slayer to retire.  Their whole lives were finally ahead of 
them!"  Suddenly, he slammed his fist on the table.



"Rupert?"  Jenny shrank back.  She understood the anger.  She feared it 
would be turned towards her.



A couple of tears trailed down Giles' cheek, even as he fought against 
them.  "I'm sorry.  I won't..."  He steadied himself and took a deep 
breath.  "I need a drink."  Giles got up from the table and pulled the 
scotch down from the kitchen cupboard.  "Would you like one?"



"No."  Jenny was quick to answer. 



Giles remained in the kitchen and leaned against the counter.  "Jenny," 
he tried to keep his voice soft and steady, "why would they pull you 
here?  What can they expect you to do?"



"I don't know."  There was a pleading for understanding in her voice.  
"They only said I was to fix it.  For my people..."  Jenny was always 
uncomfortable talking about where she came from and how she was 
different; and this, to him, only made her remember what that difference 
cost them before.  "The order of the world for my people is in the 
stories that play out over and over.  It is how we see the world.  
Stories of heroes are rare, cherished.  And a story of heroes does not 
end this way.  It's as if our world is destroyed, Rupert."



"But how can you fix this?"  Giles wondered out loud.  He filled his 
glass again as the obvious answer came to him.  "You're going to give 
them back their souls."



Jenny suddenly wished she had taken him up on his drink offer.  
"Maybe."  She didn't think that she could, or would.  "I only know that 
I have to go to them."



"You know where they are?!"  Giles grew excited again.



"Yes."  Jenny looked over into his eyes.  "I want... I need you to come 
with me, Rupert."  The absurd injustice of what she just asked him came 
raining down over her thoughts.  Still, even if she could take it back, 
she would ask it again.



"Of course."  His answer was out before he even thought about it.  There 
was too much in his mind to consider anything more anyway.



Jenny let out a sigh of relief and a smile flickered.  "We can't tell 
anyone where we are going or why," she gently reminded him.



"Dawn."  One thought managed to break into Giles' spinning thoughts: 
'What would he tell Dawn'.   "She can't know you're here," he tried to 
explain.



"Why?"  Jenny thought that her coming back might be the perfect excuse 
for why he had to go.



Giles managed to smile ruefully before downing the last of his drink.  
"Because, it would only lead to more questions.  She's too curious and 
far too intelligent to simply believe that you just popped back into my 
life."



"I see."  In truth, Jenny was a little relieved she wouldn't have to 
meet the girl.  "Your influence, I'm sure."



"The way she can jump to the answers, more Buffy's I expect."  Giles 
absently protested.  "I'll have to think of another reason."  He looked 
over to Jenny.  "They won't be surprised, even Dawn.  It's been no 
secret I haven't been happy here.  Or supportive of the continuation of 
the Watchers Council.  No, I think it's clear I've only stayed here for 
Faith and Dawn.  And I believe I needed them more than they've needed me."



Jenny was a little stunned.  He was so different than the man she knew.  
It had only been five years.  And so much happened in those five years.  
These names, these women that clearly meant so much to him, she didn't 
know them, had barely heard of them.  Faith, the other Slayer.  Dawn, 
they must of mentioned but so much happened that night and she was so 
overwhelmed.  What had she just done to him, coming back into his life 
with this news.  And when he realized it, would he ever forgive her.  
"You're really coming with me?"



Giles looked over and smiled.  He crossed the short distance to her and 
pulled her up into his arms.  "Yes."  He was stunned again by the very 
image of her face, so often in his dreams, and now so close he could 
touch her.  His fingers gently stroked her hair back from her eyes.  "I 
said I wouldn't throw away another second chance, and I meant it.  This 
is cruel and unjust to everyone, to all of us.  If we can stick 
together... help each other..."



"Yes," Jenny broke in with relief.  Tears broke from her eyes and she 
pulled him her, resting her head against his chest as she finally 
allowed herself to sob.



Giles allowed his own tears as they stood rocking gently in each other's 
arms.  He couldn't help it.  Through the anger and the pain, he couldn't 
help but feel grateful to hold her again in his arms. 



The rest of the afternoon was a strange fluctuation between subdued 
motions as they ordered plane tickets and packed his things, and tender 
affirmations of their budding reunion and its commitment.  Arrangements 
for stuff, excuses to loved ones; it all happened with a fluid 
confidence that gained momentum before they could second guess it and 
turn it all around.  Only when they were seated at the gate, waiting to 
board the plane, were they careful not to look at each other or say 
anything.  Only when they were seated on the plane and it in turn was in 
the air, did Jenny allow hope to settle again around her heart and 
protect it.



"Thank you again for letting us fly in first class."  Jenny smiled at 
Giles and reached for his hand.  "The people, crowds, the noise... it's 
still all too much."



Giles smiled in return and relaxed back into his seat.  "I understand.  
Or at least, I've seen it before.  Please, this... this will be a series 
of adjustments for both of us.  Can we agree to remain forthright and 
honest with each other?"



"Wow."  Jenny almost laughed.  "Way to skip over the honeymoon phase."  
She nodded her head, anyway.  "But yeah, I see what you mean."  She 
looked thoughtfully out the window for a moment though the night 
overcast left her little to see.  "I used to love people.  I loved to go 
out into the crowds and feel all the energy that spilled around me.  I 
wonder if I'll ever get that part of me back."



"I always preferred the mostly solitary life myself."  Giles mused out 
loud.  When Jenny turned towards him with a look of subtle disbelief, he 
gave in.  "Okay, in my youth, as you already knew, I was... well, I was 
a small time rock musician in the 70's.  You'd do well not to imagine 
too much and I had better leave the stories for a long other time."



Jenny smile in reassurance and squeezed his hand gently.  "There's a lot 
of things we don't really know about each other.  We never had the time, 
before... it was all cut too short."



"We'll have time, now."  Giles assured her. 



There were two things Jenny's mind had been nagging her to reveal.  Two 
last things he should know.  Should have known before committing himself 
to join her, but fear begets regrets and there was nothing she could do 
about that now.  Here, on the plane, trapped; she swallowed and looked 
down at their joined hands.  "Rupert, there's something I haven't told 
you yet.  Well, two things, really."



Giles felt his heart sink.  Still, he squeezed her hand then softly ran 
his thumb over the skin.  He signaled the stewardess for a drink.  
"Okay.  It's okay."



Jenny waited until he had ordered his drink, again declining one of her 
own.  She grew a little worried, as the memories of his reactions when 
that demon came back at him from his past filtered through her mind.  
She pulled back a little and let herself openly see him as best she 
could.  He was different, yes.  In a way, defeated, even though, with 
all the stories she heard, they had stood victorious at each end.  He 
was not the sick desperate drunk that had so shocked her before.  She 
pushed those worries aside and reminded herself she was out of place and 
time.  Besides, there were plenty of other things to worry about.  "When 
my people performed the resurrection spell, they bound my life to Buffy, 
Willow and Xander's.  Finding you was probably about as much free will 
as I have."



"They bound you?"  Giles was feeling ever more bound to them, himself.  
His own regrets, his actions at the end and what these brave young 
people had proved to him anyway; the thoughts kept cycling through his 
head and from the moment he understood what had happened, his course 
felt set.  He didn't think that was what Jenny was describing though.



Jenny took a deep breath and kept her gaze forward as she quietly 
continued.  "My life is suspended with theirs.  I can not grow older or 
die until all three of them do.  And I am tied to them somehow... I 
feel... well, let's just say I have to be where they are."



Giles remained in shocked silence and habitually sipped his drink.  He 
tried to let her words form meaning.  He remembered at Buffy's return, 
she seemed to want nothing more than to die again.  "Do you think, 
maybe, they did this so you would... could kill them.  To do so," he 
felt obliged to point out though it broke his heart, "would set you free."



Jenny closed her eyes and squeezed his hand tight.  "Do you want them to 
die?"



Giles finished his drink and bowed his head.  He promised himself he 
would have no more for the rest of the flight.  There was too much to 
move towards to be drinking away the past.  "No," he whispered.  Then 
looked up, though not over.  "God help me, but no.  There's so much..."  
He swallowed and tried to continue.  "I can't explain how much they 
showed me.  I can't tell you how much I regret my own behavior.  They 
don't deserve this.  But my heart of all things is telling me they 
deserve that even less."  He turned to Jenny and let a touch of pleading 
show in his eyes.



Jenny closed her eyes then opened them again into his gaze.  "The second 
thing you should know is that I'm in love with you.  Still, I guess I 
should say, since I fell in love with you before I died."



Giles nodded and smiled.  He reached up to gently touch her face.  "I 
love you, as well," he easily admitted.  Too many times he had let those 
words go unsaid.  These continued twists that marked his life finally 
rocked those words free.  "What does this mean?"



Jenny kissed his palm.  "That if their plan was I end their unlives so I 
could end my own, they blew it?"



Giles smiled relief and impulsively leaned forward and kissed her.  "So 
we have a chance, then?"



Jenny laughed, relief flooding through her.  "I didn't fly to Cleveland 
to make your life easier, now did I?  You aren't the only one who wants 
a second chance.  In many ways."  Her face sobered as she felt the need 
to remind him of something.  "I'm bound to them, though, remember?"



"I feel bound to them, myself," Giles gently pointed out.  "We'll work 
it out."  Giles wrapped his arm around her as she leaned into his side.



"I don't think the answer is that easy anyway," Jenny broke the 
comforting silence as more thoughts came to her mind.  "If it were just 
that, they could have tried to kill them without going to the trouble of 
me.  They said I had to make it 'right'.  I don't see how that would 
make it anything but final."



"We'll work it out," Giles repeated.  The plane would bring them to a 
Bellingham well into the night.  His mind stuttered and stopped each 
time he tried to imagine what Buffy, Willow and Xander were doing now.



* * *




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Willow: "It's a good fight, Buffy, and I want in."
Buffy:  "I kinda love you."
                     'Choices'

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