“Not that this hasn’t been a much needed reprieve,” Giles began as they moved out of the dining room after a wonderful meal of roast with carrots and potatoes. “But we still need to decide how to handle Glory. Now it seems we have two options. We can remain here for the next six days and began our assault against her once the ritual can no longer be performed or we can attempt the revealing spell and end things now.”
“I ah, I noticed you said attempt. “Xander said reaching over and taking Anya’s hand to calm the bout of nerves he felt at the Watcher’s less than confident announcement.
“That’s because there’s no guarantee that it will work.” Buffy admitted wishing she could say otherwise. “We have a theory and all the evidence seems to support it but we have no guarantee that we’re right. So if it works it could be over and if not we’re back at square one with the clock ticking down.”
“So then we’d just go to plan number two right, the hiding here and not dying part?” Anya asked quickly although it was clear she would rather that be plan number one.
“It’s not that easy Ducks,” Spike idly stroked his hand across Buffy’s back as he tried to think of a way to make the others understand what they were up against. “If the spell fails or even if it works and we can’t finish it, it’ll piss her off good and proper so she’ll come here. Now I trust Buffy when she says the wards won’t fall but---”
“But we will be the only ones safe from her anger.” Wesley said gravely as he quickly caught on to what he was trying to tell them. “And given her mental imbalance I can only imagine what she’d do to this town but we…we would be helpless to stop her. Because if any of us were to leave the safety of the house she would undoubtedly use them against us.”
“And we’d either have to let them die or give her who she thinks is the key.” Faith said unconsciously moving closer against Riley’s side as things just kept sounding worse. “But she’ll probably go ballistic the closer it gets to her big day so even if we do just stay here, she’ll probably do some damage. Not to mention all the people she’ll feed on in the meantime and what the other demons will do when word gets out the town’s wide open.”
“Either way we go, I’ll patrol,” When Faith immediately opened her mouth to speak Buffy raised her hand to stop her. “If I was caught I’d do my best to make her and her minions leave me for dead. And if they did take me hostage I’d let Spike know though our claim before trying the spell so either way I‘d walk out alive. No-one else can say the same thing.”
She didn’t like it but she saw her point. “Alright then B, what do you want to do?”
“Fight,” Buffy admitted with a slight smile. “But I think we should stay put. Right now Glory is focused on us and I think the closer it gets to the wire the more determined she’ll get. I wanna say she won’t do anything to call attention to herself because she hasn’t yet but it’s a possibility because she’s not exactly all there to begin with. But the way I see it the more time we have to plan, the better chance we have of beating her and finding someway to take back what energy she’s taking from people. That’s not something we know how to do yet so if we did fight her tonight or even tomorrow and win, we will probably lose our only chance of helping them.”
“But that still leaves Tara in danger so I think we should go after Glory.” Willow said firmly. “Yeah we aren’t a hundred percent positive the spell will work but it’s as close as we’re gonna get.”
“If we wanted a sure thing we could simply kill Tara.” Buffy said emotionlessly as she deliberately tried to evoke a reaction and Willow didn’t disappoint.
“YOU DON’T HAVE THE RIGHT TO DECIDE THAT!” Willow yelled out as she rose to her feet.
“No I don’t.” Buffy said calmly. “But I also know that the powers I‘ve been given means doing what others can‘t or shouldn‘t have to and if that was the only way to stop hell from coming to earth I‘d do it. Only it‘s not and I‘m willing to do what it takes to keep Tara safe but I also want to help the others Glory has hurt. So if waiting is the only way to do that, then that‘s what I want to do.”
“Me too.” Faith said firmly. “So I vote we wait for as long as we can.”
“I’m with them, it puts less people at risk but also gives us a chance to help those who’ve already been hurt, which isn‘t something we really have right now.” Riley said casting his vote.
When the others agreed as well Willow stormed off in a huff and Tara sent Buffy an apologetic smile. “I agree with you, www…w...we should help the others too.”
“Well that was fun.” Buffy said with a slight snort only to find herself swept onto her mates lap as Tara went off to talk to Willow.
“I could eat her if you like.” Spike offered generously.
Buffy pretended to consider his offer for a few seconds before shaking her head. “Nah, she’d give you a bellyache.”
“Better that than the headache she’s been giving you.”
“Ah but headaches get me backrubs.” Buffy said leaning into his touch as he began to expertly knead her tense shoulders. “So maybe I should thank her.”
“Like that do you kitten?” He asked nipping her earlobe lightly when she let out a soft moan.
“Mmmm…hands of Spike.”
“Are they always like this?” Faith asked when it became obvious the blondes no longer registered the fact they were on the same planet as anyone else.
“Yeah but it’s kinda sweet.” Fred said letting out a soft sigh of her own as she watched the couple. “But it’s also funny sometimes, like when Buffy was pregnant---”
“PREGNANT?” Giles yelped out calling the blondes attention back to the group.
“Whose pregnant?”
“You were apparently.” Giles said starkly.
“Ick, please don’t remind me. I was fat, cranky and there was this evil thing swimming around inside me.” Buffy said with a delicate shudder as her face twisted in revulsion.
“So much for true love conquers all huh.” Cordelia said sending a quick glance to Angel to see if this latest revelation was dimming the image of his precious St. Buffy.
“If by love you mean an enormous Hacksaw beast that could mystically knock you up with his hell-spawn, then no.” Buffy said with a smirk as she realized what Cordelia was trying to insinuate. “See Doyle had this vision so Spike and I went to this club to check stuff out and this guy was trying to run his game and when I brushed him off he landed one.”
“He hit you?” Angel said outraged on her behalf.
“No mate, he jerked her back by her hair and landed a kiss on those pretty lips of hers.” Spike said as his eyes unconsciously shifted amber from his anger.
“Then Spike landed one, right on his jaw.” Buffy said with a smile. “It was all very manly and more than a little hot so since we couldn’t find any danger, we went home.”
“Where Buffy woke up nine month’s pregnant.” Wesley said picking up the story from there. “Now immediately Spike and her both knew it wasn’t hers because despite the rapid gestation, vampires are simply incapable of procreating by sexual reproduction. Not to mention their bond alerted them to the demonic presence that had invaded her.”
“They, because there were seven of them had some sort of freaky mind hold over me that made me all mommy-like.”
“Which was why it was so funny.” Fred said tossing her long hair behind her shoulder. “She was all happy and glowing like any soon to be mom and Spike was going nuts.”
“Oi, and you think Wes wouldn’t have been?” Spike challenged indignantly. “It was my woman all ripe and radiant with new life growing inside her but it wasn’t my little hell-spawn! She was so bloody beautiful, so damn cheerful I couldn‘t help but getting drawn in and---”
“Then he’d get all jealousy and growly.” Fred said with a light laugh. “One second he’d be running his hands over her tummy then the next he’d be stalking around in full game-face promising the thing that did it a very bloody and creative death.”
“Which he did, with a bit of assistance from me.” Wesley said before telling them how they’d defeated the beast with a barrel of liquid nitrogen and a single bullet. “And upon the demon’s death his spawn were removed from Buffy and the other three women that had been selected as hosts.”
“But we probably learned something.” Buffy said brightly as she wrinkled up her forehead slightly as though deep in thought. “Uhm…men are evil? Oh, wait, I knew that. LA is full of self-serving phonies? No, had that one down, too. Uh... sex is bad?”
“We all knew that.” Angel said with a self-depreciating grin.
“Only now it’s bad in a way that means good. But if you need a refresher course I’m sure Spike could help you out or maybe he just picked up his tricks from you because don’t think I didn’t pick up on that, ’not after that time in Russia’ thing.” Buffy said sending a look to her mate that made it perfectly clear he’d be explaining that little comment. As both vampires shifted uncomfortably she couldn’t help feeling delighted that she’d finally made her vampire as embarrassed as he often made her with his wicked innuendoes. “Okay so we didn’t exactly learn anything in an after-school special kind of way but its gotta mean something that such a disturbing memory is actually pretty funny now.”
“Like the Talent Show or Bug-Lady?” Xander said with a smile of his own.
“Ohh or how Giles and my mom getting all freaky on the hood of a police car thanks to some tainted candy.” Buffy said wanting to let her Watcher know she hadn’t forgotten that.
“I don’t know my dear girl, I fondly recall your near maniacal antics as you sought to become a cheerleader while under the influence of a vengeance spell.” Giles shot back deciding two could play that particular game.
“Me, I’m recalling a certain naughty dance.” Xander said causing Angel to let out a short bark of laughter.
Hearing it she sent him a dark look. “Oh like you never had a bad day Angel, ‘is there a problem ma’am‘.”
“How was I supposed to know you’d be so damn spry but you were less than graceful when you walked right into that open grave.”
“Oh...oh, how about when they all got changed into their costumes and we were the only sane ones.” Cordelia said contributing her own memory much to everyone’s surprise, even her own.
“I don’t know Cordy, it was pretty funny when we were in that shack and you wanted to fight the demons hunting us with a spatula.”
Since she could admit that had been one of her less than stellar moments she looked over to Xander. “That’s right up there when I thought you were fish guy but I told you I’d understand if you wanted to see other fish.”
On the top of the stairs Willow listened as the others laughed and teased each other about their past, making the bad times well not so bad but with her mind already made up she walked back to her room where Tara waited and firmly closed the door behind her