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Secrets Revealed

The Bronze.

“When did they change the name of the club?” Buffy asked her eyes still wide.

“What are you talking about?”

“The…the club. It used to be called Freddy’s.” Buffy’s voice was rather panicked.

“Umm…Buffy are you feeling alright?” Julie asked her.

“Yes of course. Why?”

“This club has always been called The Bronze. At least it has as long as I can remember.”

“No it hasn’t,” Buffy told her, “It was Freddy’s. Just the other day we were here and it was Freddy’s.”

“No sweetie. It wasn’t.” She looked at everyone standing there. They were all looking at her like she was crazy.

“Julie’s right,” Chris said, “It’s always been the Bronze.” Everyone nodded except for James who was still standing beside her with a worried look on his face.

“Yes it was,” Buffy yelled. “James tell them,” she pleaded with him.

“Buffy,” he said as softly as he could, “Maybe we should go over here and sit so you can calm down.” He indicated a bench nearby. This made her even angrier. He wasn’t even gonna back her up? Ass.

“Calm down? How the hell am I suppose to calm down when everyone is looking at me like I’ve lost my mind. Oh look at poor crazy Buffy…looks like she’s gone off the deep end again. We better have her admitted before she goes psycho and kills us all.”

“Buffy we don’t think that,” Nick said.

“Sure you don’t. You know,” she said looking them all over, “I bet you’re all in on this. First the Magic Shop and now the club. Are you trying to make me crazy? Cause FYI its working.”

“We’re not trying to do anything Buffy. In fact we’re all pretty worried about you. You’ve been acting a little strange lately,” Julie said.

“Me? I’m the one who’s been acting strange?”

“Maybe I should just take you home,” Nick said.

“I think that’s a good idea,” Juliet said. Buffy didn’t protest. Instead she turned and headed for his car.

“Sorry guys,” Nick said.

“It’s not your fault she’s losing it again,” Juliet said.

“She’s not losing it,” James told her sternly. Juliet gave him a slightly hurt look.

“Of course you wouldn’t think so.” She looked at him distastefully.

“And what is that supposed to mean?” he asked her.

“You know good and damn well what it means. I see the way you act around her. I’m not an idiot James. I know there’s something going on with you two.” Buffy drew in a breath as everyone looked at her accusingly.

“Buffy, is that true?” Julie asked.

“I…uhh…” Buffy looked to James for help. He gave her a worried look.

“Don’t even try to deny it,” Juliet said looking back and forth between them.

“Juliet please. Can we go somewhere else and talk about this?”

“No!” she practically yelled at him, “We will talk about this right here…in front of all your friends.” He looked around the group. No one looked happy.

“Listen. This is between you and me, so let’s go home and we’ll talk.” She shook her head.

“Actually James, it would seem that this is between you and Buffy.” James didn’t know what to say to her.

“Juliet…” Buffy started.

“You shut the hell up. Don’t ever ever speak to me again.”

“Don’t talk to her like that,” James said. Juliet got a look of realization on her face.

“Oh my God. You’ve been sleeping with her haven’t you?” James didn’t respond.

“You have…” Angry tears ran down her cheeks. “You have you bastard. How long?” He still didn’t say anything. “How could you do this to me? 7 years. We’ve been together 7 years and you’ve known her for what?...3 months?” She was crying now.

“I didn’t mean to hurt you baby.” He reached for her but she pulled back.

“Don’t touch me.” She backed away from the group. “I need to get out of here.” She started off down the street.

“I can’t believe you did this.” It was Julie this time.

“I’m sorry…” Buffy managed. Julie only shook her head and went after Juliet. Chris, who had not yet said anything gave James an unsure look before heading after the girls.

Buffy felt like crying. This was all too much. She had only been back a few months and had already lost all of her friends. She looked up at Nick. He looked angry. What was she going to say to him?

“Nick I…”

“Don’t. Whatever you have to say, I don’t wanna hear it. I just…I can’t believe I wasted my time with you.” He turned and walked away. Tears formed in Buffy’s eyes. She had never meant to hurt him. She folded her arms over her chest as the tears fell.

They both stood there for what seemed like forever before he spoke.

“Do you want me to take you home?”

“Sure.” They walked back to his car. The ride home was in silence. When they reached her house they sat there, Buffy looking at her hands, James staring at the steering wheel.

“I’m sorry,” Buffy said at last.

“S’not your fault. I’m the one who started everything. You kept telling me they would find out. I just didn’t want to accept that.”

“You didn’t make me be with you. I chose to. If I really wanted to keep from hurting my friends I wouldn’t have…” she said looking out the window. The lights in the living room were on.

“So what are we going to do now?” She looked back at him.

“I don’t know.” And she really really didn’t. “I wish Giles was here,” she said absently.

“Giles?” James asked.

“Yeah. He was my…father figure in the other world. He always knew what to do.”

“Even what to do when you were caught having an affair of sorts.” She smiled slightly.

“I’m not sure. It never really came up.” He smiled then. How had he let this happen to him? A few months ago he’d had a great girl, played in a decent band, and was getting ready for a future. Now he was sitting in his car with his secret lover listening to her talk about a fantasy world and a man named Giles. What kind of name was Giles anyway? And that’s when he remembered.

“Giles.” Buffy looked at him strangely.

“What?”

“A couple of months ago after I played a show one night, the night you and Nick were there on your date, I was loading my car when a man came up to me and said he needed to talk to me. He said his name was something Giles. I think it started with an r. Like Robert or Rudy or something.”

“Rupert?” Buffy asked.

“Yeah. Rupert Giles.” The look on her face told him that name was significant. “Buffy? Was that the name of your Giles?” She nodded.

“What did he say?”

“Umm…he said he needed my help. Something about a girl. He wanted me to find her, and tell her something.”

“Tell her what?” He closed his eyes trying to remember.

“I think it was something like tell her Dawn needs her. I don’t know what that means.”

“Oh God.” Dawn. Like her sister Dawn. Could it be? Could that have really been Giles coming to find her? Maybe Willow had done a spell to get him in her head. Wouldn’t be the first time she’d been trapped inside her own mind.

“Buffy? Do you know what that means?”

“I think I do.” But there was one more thing, one thing that would prove if this world was real or not. She knew then what she had to do.

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