2 and half hours later: 2:30 pm Tuesday
Buffy sat downstairs watching tv with Spike with the puppy curled up at their feet. They had decided not to discuss things hoping if they ignored it, they would just fade away. Each knew that wasn’t reality but each also knew that nothing would be solved with violence and tears.
Joyce had carefully wrapped up Spike’s hands when she had returned home to check on the duo. She had asked what had happened and listened as he explained the dilemma and Joyce had suggested they do indeed talk to each other as an adult but Spike wasn’t ready. He needed more time with her and more time to make her fall head over heels in love with him as he was with her. He figured in another week or even two things would be good with them.
Buffy would be back to school and patrolling and everything would be good. Tomorrow night he would take her out patrolling so she could start to return to her old life and she would return to school tomorrow since her fever had broken and she seemed better just a little weaker than normal.
They heard the door open and the sound of her friends piling into the room. Cordelia and Xander had popcorn bags that he stuck into the microwave and Willow and Oz had brought movies and her schoolwork. Willow grinned at her sitting on the other side of Buffy and leaned her head against her shoulder, “Oz and I are officially dating! We went to the Bronze last night. It was fun. Have you heard anything from Angelus lately?”
Buffy nodded her head, “Meet Sunshine!”
Willow smiled at the puppy giving her a pat on the head as she questioned, “Where’d she come from?”
Buffy smiled, “Gift from Angelus if you forget the fact he was trying to have her beheaded right on my doorstep.”
Willow looked at the puppy in horror as Buffy filled her in on what had happened while she had slept through the night. Willow gave the puppy another pat thinking she was very lucky to indeed be alive still. She had seen Angelus two nights ago when he had stopped by the hospital looking for Buffy but hadn’t seen him since then. She was worried he was up to something but figured with Buffy looking much better, she would be back to patrolling and things would speed up with Angelus again. She accepted the bowl of popcorn from Xander as she shared it with Spike and Buffy.
Each person had patted the dog’s head when they had entered the room as Sunshine was determined to make a friend out of everyone she met. Oz sat on the arm and Willow pushed Buffy closer to Spike who picked her up placing her on his lap and she folded her legs up so that she wasn’t blocking his view as she continued to munch on popcorn. Within a few minutes Xander and Cordelia appeared with popcorn and Xander grinned with a mouth full of popcorn as pieces flew out of his mouth, “Which movie first?”
Spike accepted the choices from Willow choosing Saving Private Ryan as they all settled in to watch the movie.
Less than 2 hours later: 4:30 pm Tuesday
Willow sat on the floor with Buffy and Cordelia discussing girl things. Cordelia was actually actively involved in the conversation discussing her latest dress as they were planning for the sophomore end-of-the-year party. They were excited and Sunshine jumped around them happily since she could feel the excitement in the air and wanted to be a part of it. Oz, Xander and Spike had decided to play a game of poker using chips as the betting tool. They were having a good time and when Joyce came home from work an hour later, she found everyone happy.
Joyce ordered a few large pizzas to feed everyone thankful to see the group together and everyone getting along so well. Even Spike appeared to fit right in teaching the guys a few tricks of poker that he had picked up in his 120 years as a vampire. Joyce had decided after everyone was fed, it would be a good time to unload and open the boxes from her shipment she had gotten in earlier. Cordelia had put up a fuss but had gotten into Oz’s van with Xander and Willow while Spike drove his blackened out windowed car since it was still daylight with Buffy and Joyce.
2 hours later: 6:30 pm Tuesday
At the gallery, Spike and Buffy spent the next hour opening boxes, Xander and Cordelia inventoried the items while Willow and Oz entered them into the computer making the job so much faster and easier. This allowed Joyce to have time to arrange them in the various rooms to begin to showcase them. Spirits were high and excitement filled the air as night began to fall. Buffy glanced towards Spike grinning ,”Patrol?”
Spike nodded knowing he wouldn’t let her go alone and she was right, it was time to make a swoop making sure to keep Angelus and Dru’s minions in line. More dusted meant less to deal with their upcoming big day. Besides they both needed the release because of their built up problems that they had been ignoring.
Oz disappeared first to go to practice with the band and Xander and Cordelia disappeared to probably make out in some unknown location. Willow returned to go visit with Giles to do some more research at his apartment while Buffy and Spike drove Joyce home safely to patrol.
Buffy appeared back to her normal self having gotten so much rest and relaxation over the last few days and she was feeling very good as she ventured into the cemeteries with Spike. She raced with him to see who could dust the most. Spike grinned as he called out, “15!”
Buffy pouted shouting, “Only 10 here!”
Spike chuckled as he dusted two more with a bit of trouble, “17!!”
Buffy dusted herself off, “14!”
Spike laughed as she raced back him to hit the next cemetery eager to beat Spike. They were actually enjoying themselves as Buffy grabbed his hand to swing around herself to kick over the nest of 6 vampires. Spike laughed as he steadied her taking 3 vampires leaving her with 3. She fought hard and strong as she felt her blood rushing through her system giving her the much needed adrenaline rush that she had missed. Spike linked arms with her as she flung herself over his shoulder to land on her feet so she could fight the two vampires there leaving him with the last four.
The cemeteries were swamped with vampires, mostly fledglings just trying to either get a bite to eat or trying to dig their way out of their graves. Neither Spike nor Buffy thought about how high the death rate in Sunnydale must be to really house the newly rising vamps.
Finally they hit the last cemetery with Spike having the grand total of 23 and Buffy with the grand total of 22. Buffy was exhausted and Spike had to carry her home since she was already yawning and falling asleep while walking beside him. She had really wiped herself out but knew they had put a huge dent on the vampire population. Little did they know that there was a reason all the minions were out and about tonight.
4 hours prior: 2:30 pm Tuesday in the factory
Dru gasped out in pain as Angelus walked over to her stating, “What is it?”
She replied in a worried tone, “The air, it worries.”
She paused as she held her stomach, breathing hard, “Someone, an old enemy is seeking help. Help to destroy our happy home.”
She started moaning holding her stomach even tighter, “ooooh.”
Angelus walked over to her to lay down as he whispered, “Who?”
She whispered back, “Gypsy lady, the mean teacher, with the black short hair. She is trying to cause you to have a bright light.”
She moaned again holding her head as Angelus yelled for his minions to get ready for his new plans for the night.
3 hours later: 5:30 pm Tuesday at the Magic Box
An older man watched as Jenny stepped into his Magic Box, magic shop. He folded his hands together speaking in a Russian accent, “Welcome. How can I serve you today?”
Jenny turned around facing the man saying, “Uh” but she was cut off as the man stated, “Love potion, perhaps a voodoo doll for the unfaithful…”
Jenny cut him off though as she put a hand on her hip waving the other through the air, “I need an Orb of Thesulah.”
He chuckled as he pointed at her, “Oh you’re in the trade.”
He eased the curtains over the windows that were see-through anyway, “Sorry about the spiel, but around Valentine’s Day I get a lot of tourists shopping for love potions and mystical revenge for past lovers. Sad fact is, ouija boards and rabbits’ feet that is what pay the rent around here.”
Jenny folded her arms over her chest as she turned watching as the man pulled back a curtain looking for the item. Jenny couldn’t resist touching a few items as the man questioned, “How did you hear about us?”
She picked up a few items staring at them as she admitted, “My Uncle Enyos told me about you.”
The man looked surprised as he turned towards her holding a box, “So you’re Janna then?”
Jenny glanced up towards him and he continued to hold the box staring at her, “Sorry to hear about your uncle then.”
She was surprised but still in shock as the placed the items down and said quietly, “Thank you.”
He continued to talk about her uncle though, “He was a good customer.”
He let out a deep sigh as he put the box on the container, “Well here you go. One Thesulan Orb, Spirit vault for the rituals of the undead.”
Jenny glanced at the now open box admiring the orb. She reached into her purse to pay the man as he continued to talk, “I don’t get many calls for those lately. Sold as couple as new age paperweights last year.”
Jenny said nothing as she handed over her credit card to the man but he continued to talk, “Yeah, I just love those new ages boy. They help to send my youngest to college.”
Jenny still said nothing as he still keep on talking, “By the way, you do know that the transliteration annals for the ritual of the undead were lost and without the annals the surviving text is gibberish.”
She continued for him knowing he was curious, “Without a translated text, the orb of Thesulah are pretty much useless. Yeah I know.”
She signed her name anyway handing him back the receipt. He looked at her seriously, “I only mention it because I have a strict policy of no refunds.”
Jenny wasn’t bothered already having a plan, “That’s ok. I’m working on a computer program to translate the Rumanian liturgy to English based on a random sampling of the text.”
She held the orb box in her hand as the man spoke up, “Yeach! I don’t like computers. They give me the willies.”
But this didn’t bother Jenny as she picked up the box, “Well thank you.”
He replied quickly, “You’re welcome.”
She walked away and was close to the door as she heard him say, “By the way, not that it’s any of my business really but what are you planning on conjuring up if you can decipher the text.”
She opened the box holding the orb, “A present for a friend of mine.”
The man looked curious as he questioned, “Really, what are you gonna give him?”
Jenny held the ball in her hand admiring the way it glowed as she whispered, “His soul” before walking out of the shop into the sunlight to finish what she had started.