Chapter 5:  Putting it All Together

“Giles!”  Both girls burst through the door.

He looked up from the paper he was reading.  “Have you forgotten how to knock?  They still knock on doors in England, at least they did the last time I. . .”

”No time for knocking.”  Buffy rushed up to him.  “Giles.  Willow can read my thoughts.  What the hell is going on?”

He looked stricken but regained his composure quickly.  “I see.  This is an interesting development.”

”Giles I know that look.  That’s the same look you gave me when you and Angel told me about fighting the master.  What’s going on?”

He got up and walked to the kitchen, busying himself with making tea.  “Well, it could be several things.  You could simply be tuning into each other, or or, have you faced any demons lately without. . “

”Mouths?  No.  Been there, slayed that.  It’s been only dusting for the past year.  You know that.”

He put the kettle on the stove and turned up the heat.  “Perhaps we should look into this further.  Can you read her thoughts?”

Willow walked over and sat down on the couch.  “No she can’t , but her’s are coming through loud and clear.”  She put her head down and blushed.

Giles noted the discomfort and thought it would be best not to inquire as to the nature of the thoughts.  “Ahem, I see.”  He walked out of the kitchen and joined them on the couch.  “Did you come up against anything in England?”

Willow shook her head.  “Just final exams.  Why don’t we hit the books?”  She smiled.

“Only you would be tickled about anything that leads to research, Will.”

”Alright.  I suggest you start with the books on telekinetics and psychic connections, mythical or otherwise.”  Giles pointed to a bookshelf.  “Let me know if you come up with anything.”  He rose to the sound of the kettle whistling.  “I’ll be over there looking through the Codex for a prophesy of some sort.  Better safe than sorry.”

He strolled down the block with a little more color in his cheeks.  Willy the snitch sent him on his way when he cleaned out half the bar of their money in a game of five card stud.  He’d become quite the gambler after he made the mistake of losing to a bunch of mind reading demons and wound up working for nothing to pay off the debt.  He stopped short suddenly and sniffed the air.  <She’s close.>

On cue, she appeared from behind a tree about ten paces ahead of him.  “No fair.  You cheated.”

He smirked and walked up to her.  “I can’t help it if I’ve got you under my skin.  Literally.  You made sure of that.”  There was a hint of anger there.  “I thought we agreed you’d stay away for now until I sent for you?”

“Are you sad?  I’ve missed you. . as much as Miss Edith has.”

He shook his head.  “Not now Dru.”

”Tell mommy what’s wrong.  Let me kiss it and make it better?”  She snaked her arms around his neck and licked his lip.  “Let me take it all way.”

“I don’t want you to take it away.  I deserve it.”

”You deserve the world and much more besides.”  She tilted her head back and smiled.  “Look, luv, the stars are out for you tonight.  They’re waiting for the day to come.  It’s close and soon they’ll be dancing in your honor. . .and in mine.”  She looked into his eyes then leaned up and suckled his neck.

He swooned a little.  It was always the same, the feeling, the power coarsing through her and into him. . .it was like a drug and he was addicted.  “Dru.”  He pulled her away and she frowned.  “Let’s go somewhere less public.  They could be anywhere and I don’t want to get caught.”  <Not yet anyway.>  He looked around suspiciously.

“Aww.  Are you worried about daddy finding out?  If it’ll make you happy I’ll kill him for you.”  An evil smile played across her lips.  “I’ll pull out his intestines and boil them and then we can hang them from the chandelier back home.  I miss it so.  Don’t you?”

He made a disgusted sound a the back of his throat.  “Ugh.  What is it with you and intenstines?”  He shook his head and took  her hand.  “As much as it would please me to no end to see Spike’s entrails on a string, I think you should hold off on that. It’s too soon.”  He kissed her chastely.  “Come on.”  He looked around almost knowing someone was there.  “I know a place.”

She smiled and allowed herself to be dragged away.

A figure stepped out of the shadows and into the street light.  He took a long drag on a cigarette and stamped it out with his boot.  The anger and repugnance danced in his eyes.  “Kill me?  Boil my intestines will you?  Argh!!!!”  He punched the air and stamped his feet and punched his hand with his fist.  After getting it out he gained some composer and straightened himself out.  “Well.  Look who’s been batting for the other team.  I should have known Dru was behind this. . .fungus demon must’ve sent her packing.”  He shook his head and chuckled.  “Well, this does nothing but put an interestng spin on things.”  He lit another cigarette and walked off in the direction of a certain Watcher’s house.

Buffy was going through the last of the books on the fourth bookcase for the third time.  This was getting them no where.  Her back hurt and her eyes were crossed and evil little thoughts were beginning to go through her mind.  <Willow. . .skin. . .bed. . .naked. . .>

”Buffy!”  Willow’s head shot up and gave her an incredulous look.

She offered a sheepish grin.  “Oops?”

“Either your really bored with research or your reverting back to cro-magnon Slayer.  Willow good, reseach bad.”  She chuckled.

“Hey!”  She sat down next to the redhead.  “I’m wiped out.  We’re getting a big fat zero in the ‘Ah ha I’ve found it right in front of me’ department.  What do you say we go home?”  She batted her eyelashes. “Pleeeeease?”  Willow was still sorting through a pile of books.  “Will?”

She pulled one out of the pile.  “Ah ha!”  She gave a triumphant little squeek.  “I don’t remember seeing this one before.”

Buffy rolled her eyes.  “and I’m sure it was right in front of you this whole time.  Come on Will, we’ve seen every one of Giles’ books at least a hundred times.”

Willow shook her head and her expression changed suddenly.  She handed the red leather book to Buffy.  “No.  Look.”

Buffy opened it up to the first page and read it out loud.  “Journal entries of Alexander LaVelle Harris.   July 30, 1999.   Oxnard.  The engine fell out of my car, and that was literally. So here I am playing dish boy at 'The Fabulous Ladies Night Club' for about a month and a half while I tried to pay for the repairs. . . “  She stopped and flipped through to the last entry.  “The last entry is December 6, 2004.  Will, that’s the night you went back to Oxford and he left.”  Buffy closed the book and placed it inside her coat.

“What are you doing?”

“If wer’re gonna find out what’s going on with him, this is the best way to do it.”  She walked to the stairs and yelled.  “Giles, we’re leaving.  See you tomorrow.”  She gave Willow a quick look and was out the door.

“Buffy, wait up!”  She ran out after her.