Day 1
She stretched across the bench trying to work out the kinks. She had expected to feel sore after her fight with Adam the day before, but it felt as if she had slept on the floor all night. Suddenly becoming aware of the lights and sounds around her, she sat up stiffly. The glare from the florescent lights caused her to quickly close her eyelids again.
Oh, and the smell; the scent of exhaust fumes and floor cleaner from the mop bucket beside her. It was familiar. Something she had just experienced. Squinting to let her vision adjust, she noticed people milling about.
The bus station. How did she get back here? Looking around, she noticed she was in the same seat she had sat in yesterday. She remembered getting off the bus, bone weary and heart heavy. She had decided to stop for a moment before making her way across town to the dorms. She had fallen asleep only to find herself being shaken awake an hour later by a worried station attendant worried that she had missed her bus.
Then came the oh-so-pleasant reunion with Riley, the could-it-have-gotten-any-worse visit by Angel, and then the spectacular ass kicking that Adam had presented her with. Only to be followed by the never-want-to-do-that again conversations with Riley about how one of his best friends had been killed while she couldn’t do anything but watch and bleed really well. Not one on her better days, that’s for sure.
She turned to look at the clock, noticing the same clerk from the day before at the ticket counter. She still couldn’t figure out how she made it all the way across town, or why she’d come to the bus station. It certainly wasn’t for the ambience.
Oh, maybe yesterday had all been a crazy dream brought on by exhaustion? No, she couldn’t be that lucky. Maybe she was sleepwalking, not that she had ever done that before, but hey, first time for everything. Nothing that she could come up with seemed plausible. She would just have to go see Giles and see if he had any answers for her, but first a stop at the bathroom.
She rushed for the stalls; feeling like she hadn’t peed in forever. Once she was done, she moved to the sink to wash her hands. The mirror caught her attention. Something was off, and she had to focus for a moment before she realized what it was. Her bruises were missing. With slayer healing, she had expected them to be mostly gone by morning, but here she was, not a scratch on her. Go, go slayer healing. At least she didn’t have to walk to Giles’ looking like the victim of a violent crime.
Wait a minute; she was in her clothes from yesterday, too. She clearly remembered putting on her Yummy Sushi pajamas before climbing into bed. After the fight with the others, she had returned to the dorm room, certain that Willow wouldn’t show up there that night.
Oh, God. The fight with Xander and Willow, and Giles acting all intoxicated. It all came rushing back. The screaming, the accusations, the drunken giggling; it turned her stomach thinking back on all the things that had been said. She still didn’t understand what might have possessed her friends to act as they had, but she new she couldn’t face Adam again in the shape she was in. She had returned to the dorm to get some rest and clear her head before going after him once more…and that’s it. The last thing she could remember was her head hitting the pillow, being unable to keep her eyes open for a moment longer, and then blank.
It must be some freaky Hellmouth thing, or an evil spell, or some sort of demon possession. Oh, or maybe her nightmares come to life again? Maybe she should start trying to wake up little kids…or maybe she was just grasping at straws. Hopefully, Giles had sobered up enough to do some research. She needed to get back out and search for Adam. She didn’t have time to waste on the newest whatever it was trying to make her life miserable.
She made her way quickly out of the bus station and toward Giles’ house. The weird feeling of déjà vu seemed to cling to her the entire way. Something was setting off her slayer senses in a major way, but it was broad daylight, and she couldn’t feel the tingles that demons and vamps gave off. It seemed to be a whole other vibe.
Finding Giles sober was a major bonus, explaining to him for the fifth time exactly was happened…not so much. She had at first been hesitant to enter after the badness of the previous day but it was soon apparent that he had either forgotten his drunken haze or was determined to ignore the events as if they never happened. Well, that worked for her, Denial was one of her best attributes and she’d gladly cling to it for as long as possible.
The frustration of not having any answers to the newest oddity that was her life finally became too much and she stormed out of the apartment ready to tear something apart, hopefully of demon or vamp persuasion.
~~~~~
Spike moved to the upper level of the crypt to begin heating his morning blood. It was bad enough keeping day walkers’ hours while staying with the watcher, but since he had started working with Adam, it seemed he couldn’t reset his internal clock. Between patrolling for his daily spot of violence and conditioning his body to sleep lightly due to the constant threat of demons taking offense to what they saw as assisting the slayer, he was pretty much on standard mortal time.
A sound from the hole in which the ladder to the lower level was situated had him moving to investigate. Finding no signs of movement or sounds, he turned back to the kitchen area of the crypt, just barely stopping himself from yelping when coming face to face with his new cohort.
“Well, mate, to what do I owe this unexpected visit?” he snarked, attempting to cover his surprise.
“You failed to make our appointed meeting. I was forced to seek out your presence to see what had detained you,” Adam stated calmly.
“What meeting? We met yesterday, I did the whole Yoko Ono thing and now the Scoobs are Splitsville.” Spike could feel his agitation growing. He began to pace the crypt, putting some distance between himself and the seemly unstoppable hybrid and began patting his shirt pockets searching for his pack of cigarettes.
“I believe you are mistaken, I have no record of our meeting or any understanding of this Yoko Ono reference.”
“You get some wires crossed or something? A slight short-circuit? Remember how we talked about how people blamed Yoko for the Beatles breaking up, but the band had just grown apart? We decided to split up the Scoobies to make the Slayer weaker, more manageable without outside ‘variables’ getting in the way,” The blond explained, lighting a cigarette as he spoke.
“This idea is intriguing; I would like you to carry out this plan. Split the Slayer from her group, make her vulnerable. I like this plan very much. You will do it today,” Adam said with finality, moving toward the ladder to the lower level.
“Yeah, right. I’ll get right on that.” The blond vamp replied, a look of absolute confusion marring his expression.
~~~~~
The slayer made her way to the campus. She needed to find something to kill to take her mind off of the ultimate badness that was the last few days. It not like she expected her life to go well, since major suckfest was pretty much the description of her of her post-slayer and even pre-slayer life, but one would think that once in a while, she could get a break. Maybe only have one emotionally crippling crisis at a time?
Reaching her room, she had just turned the key in the lock when she heard her name. She turned to find Riley standing behind her, dressed in the same embarrassing clothes as the day before. “Riley, are you okay? I mean, I know you’re not okay, but are you, you know…okay?”
“Yeah, I got a little tired of sitting around waiting, so…” he looked at her expectantly.
“Waiting for what?” she asked, confused.
“For you to get back from L.A. You know; where you’ve been for the last 24 hours? Seeing your ex-boyfriend and saving him from an evil slayer who likes to take over your life.”
Ignoring his comment about Faith, Buffy tried to explain. “But I got back yesterday. I've been here the last 24 hours. Riley, we've talked twice since I got back.”
“"What the hell are you talking about, Buffy? I haven't spoken to you since we escaped the Initiative. Boy, seeing Angel really did rattle you didn’t it? So what happened that was so bad that you’re acting like this?"
“He just spun my head a little. It's not that interesting,” she muttered almost dizzy from the overwhelming feeling of déjà vu.
“Got my attention,” he stated baldly, crossing his arms and assuming a ridged stance.
“Look, Riley. Something’s going on. We’ve done this before, had this same discussion. I don’t understand what’s happening, but it’s not right, and those pants a second time are even worse.” She began to pace, trying to get her frazzled nerves under control.
“I got the pants from Xander, he’s washing my uniform. What do you mean by ‘done this before’?” he asked not looking convinced.
“That’s what I mean; I know where your uniform is, and I know why you’re dressed in those hideous pants. Riley, something really wiggy is going on. I woke up in the bus station this morning, in the same clothes I had on yesterday, and I’m apparently in some time warp thingy. God, Xander would be eating this up right now. Yesterday a whole lot of badness went down. Adam kicked my ass, Forrest died, and the gang had a total melt down.”
“Right, a ‘time warp thingy’. You know what that sounds like to me, Buffy? A bad dream. People have them all the time. I just heard Forrest on the scanner just a few minutes before I got here; he’s fine,” the ex-soldier stated, his expression far from pleasant. “Look, if you don’t want to talk about it, that’s fine. Tell you what, why don't I get out of your face? You had a long trip.”
“Riley, you don't have to go,” she implored as he moved toward the door.
“It's okay. Besides, I have to recharge them every two hours or they go dead on me,” he said, indicating his pants.
“Okay,” she answered quietly, watching him leave. She hated that she didn’t feel more guilty about his leaving, but right now she needed to take a few minutes to try to piece together the events that had unfolded rather than waste time placating her boyfriend.
Spike burst into the watchers apartment, eager to discover if the chaos he thought he had wrought in the group had been real or an incredible hallucination.
Finding the watcher sitting in almost the exact same pose as the previous day seemed odd. The watcher was once again singing ‘Freebird’, the same bottle of liquor on the counter, the same frightened shriek he had bellowed before. The blond smirked; maybe he could take some tips from his overactive imagination.
He started out his speech in the same way that he had dreamt, not surprised at finding the bagged blood in the fridge just as he had envisioned it. The conversation went in much the same way, with the exception of the watchers stuttered statement that the slayer had stopped by just that morning looking for a bit of help. Which lead to his easy comeback “So she only comes around when she needs something, huh?” His sympathy was only partially faked for the aging man.
It really was just too easy; like pieces on a chess board. His amusement was only slightly dimmed by the nagging feeling he was missing something important. He left the watchers apartment once more, his smile bright and cheery. It was great being evil.
Finding the whelp and his ex-demon bird waiting at his crypt just seemed too much of a coincidence. He had never shared his sire’s gift for the sight, but he had to wonder if maybe he wasn’t becoming a bit clairvoyant. The feeling of something being terribly wrong was intensifying with each relived moment, and the satisfaction of watching the whelp’s reactions weren’t nearly as much fun as he remembered them being. Maybe he’d gotten hold of some bad blood or something? Mocking the brunette until he stormed out into the daylight, Spike turned to dress for the night’s adventures, feeling like he already knew the outcome.
He waited until dark to return to the watchers once more, armed with the disk Adam had given him, pausing to prepare himself again for the acting he was about to do. Already knowing which particular buttons to push for maximum effect, he wasted no time on dramatics and cut right to the chase. His mission once again accomplished, he stopped by the crypt to grab a celebratory beer; if for no other reason than he knew that’s what his dream self had done.
Maybe he should try dreaming of buxom blondes, wads of cash, and all the blood he could drink that night, just to see what happened.
~~~~~
Buffy limped into the dorm room bruised and sore. She had tried so hard. She had argued, threatened, and begged, but nothing had worked. The events that she knew had to be more than a dream had played out in front of her eyes in horrific Technicolor. Nothing she had done had saved Forrest’s life. Adam was stronger, responded quicker, and was better armed than she could handle. She had screamed at Forrest not to shoot the walking demon junk pile, but he’d refused to listen to her, just as he had in her dream…
Vision…memory…whatever it was.
Apprehension had filled her as she regained consciousness after her fall and recalled the next portion of her magic carpet ride of horror. She had been tempted to run straight to Giles’. Only her knowledge that her ex and current boyfriends easily kill each other had let her feet drag her back to this spot.
She stared at the doorway for a moment when the knock sounded. The weight of knowing who it was before she answered was staggering. She moved reluctantly toward to the wooden panel separating her from her former boyfriend. Her stiffened arms opened it to allow the vampire entry into the room. She sighed heavily when she once again had to voice her invitation to enter.
“Let me guess; you’re sorry for being an ass when all I wanted to do was help and you came to apologize. You ‘accidentally’ ran into my boyfriend on the way here and ‘accidentally’ smashed your fist in his face repeatedly. Am I close?” she asked, pinning him with a no nonsense glare, defying him to disagree. She stayed close to the door during her tirade, waiting for the next player to enter the room.
When Riley showed up right on cue, she disarmed him quickly, pushing him to the opposite side of the room from Angel. “Riley, he’s not evil but we have to talk for a minute. We’re just going out into the hall. Just trust me for a few more minutes, okay?”
She ushered the broody vampire out into the hall, taking deep breaths and trying to collect her thoughts. “Angel, I know what I did was wrong, but you were wrong, too. I just need us to forget about it and move on. I’ve got a lot going on here and I don’t have time for more childish games.”
“Uh, things are pretty tense around here. Can I do anything?” he asked, concerned.
“Honestly? Your leaving would be of the best. I’ve got a lot to try to figure out, and some really bad news to deliver, and then an insane fight with my friends scheduled for later tonight,” she snarked and rolled her eyes.
“Okay, I’m not going to even try to figure that out,” he joked, making his way down the hallway. “Oh and…Riley? I don't like him.”
“Thank you; it means a lot that you came,” Buffy replied softly.
~~~~~~
Spike made his way into Adam’s lair. “That was even more fun than the last time.”
“You are still making references to things that have not happened. It is possible that you have an internal issue that needs to be resolved.” Adam tilted his head, observing the blond vampire.
“The only internal issue I have is this soddin’ chip. The slayers all separated from her little friends, so how about my chipectomy? You got everything you need, right?” the blond asked. Averting his face so that Adam couldn’t see him, his mouth was already moving to mimic the imitation Frankenstein’s reply.
“No. There's one more thing.”
Spike left the cave frowning. Something definitely wasn’t right. He just didn’t know how to get the answers he needed.
~~~~~
After the once again disastrous talk with Riley, Buffy had dreaded going back to Giles’. It seemed even knowing what was going to happen and what was going to be said couldn’t change anything for the better. Maybe it was a message from the Powers; fate wasn’t to be messed with. Well screw that! If they stupid Powers hadn’t figured out by now that Buffy Anne Summers made her own destiny, they were about to find out.
That sudden declaration didn’t seem to make her feet any less heavy on the long walk to her watchers apartment building. She was determined not to allow her friends’ obvious issues make her jump into another argument. She was going to be cool, calm, and collected. She was going to keep a level head. She was going to be the reasonable one.
That reasoning lasted all of ten minutes.
In between the frustration of not being able to stop Adam coupled with the newest ride on Buffy’s Happy Fun Land The Revolving Time Loop of Misery; it took less than twenty minutes to resort to the name calling and accusation throwing badness of the previous day…or today…whatever.
Watching Tara and Anya running for the bathroom, she wished nothing more than to be able to follow them and hide until this horrible day was over…if it would ever end, that is. Somehow, she was beginning to doubt it.
By the time she left, the déjà vu creepiness that had followed her all day was back with a vengeance. There was no way she could explain knowing all the events that had happened that day. Seeing the looks on her friends’ faces for a second time left her with a sinking feeling in the pit of her stomach. Something was seriously wrong; she just didn’t know how to get the answers she needed. She left the watchers apartment once again, miserable and defeated.
She sang softly to herself on the walk back to the dorm. “Tomorrow, tomorrow, I love ya tomorrow. You’re only a day a way.”
Somehow she doubted that.
Oh shit.
Opening her eyes, she could see nothing through the glaring fluorescent light.
Oh no.
Closing her eyes she willed the vision away, but the sounds and smells were just how she remembered.
Bus station? Check. Same clothes? Check. Head wound gone? Check. Heaving sigh? Extra big check. The amount of how screwed she was?
Infinite.
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