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Chapter 7

(FLASHBACK CONTINUED)

“Giles, I think Mom could use a drink,” Buffy directed her words at her Watcher. “There should be something in the side cabinet. If not, ask Spike. I’m sure he’s got something out in his rattle bucket she can sip on.”

“Just rock gut booze, pet.” The bleached blond vamp arched an eyebrow. “I think your mum might need more than a stiff drink, Slayer. You got any Valium?”

“In the upstairs medicine cabinet,” Joyce replied in a dazed voice.

“I’ll go get them,” Cordelia said in a stage whisper. She had dealt with this type of thing before with her own mother.

Giles went to the side cabinet to pour his new wife a drink while Buffy settled the shocked woman in one of the armchairs. He poured Joyce a generous shot of whiskey. He had hoped to ease her into finding out about her daughter’s true identity. He certainly hadn’t expected Buffy’s affections to have transferred away from Angel.

Giles went to where Joyce was seated, and he handed the glass of alcohol to her. He looked up when Cordelia reentered the room with a prescription bottle in hand. After the teenaged girl tapped one pill out on her hand, he took it from her. Giles carefully watched Joyce take the pill before he took the whiskey away from her.

“Get your mother some water or something, Buffy,” Cordelia said. “She won’t be able to drink anything stronger now.”

Buffy nodded her head, relieved that she could do something to help Joyce. She snagged Spike’s arm as she went by him to the kitchen. She wanted to talk to him in relative privacy.

“Is Angel on the up and up?” the Slayer asked while she got a bottle of water from the fridge.

Spike shrugged. “I didn’t smell any deceit on the git, but he was always good at hiding his lies.”

Buffy nodded again. “That’s good because I won’t have him beating up my boyfriend.” She closed the fridge, and she went over to Spike. She leaned in to kiss the vampire on the lips.

“Hmm, watch it, luv.” Spike pulled Buffy closer. “We’ve already shocked your mum once tonight.”

Buffy gave a happy giggle. “Yeah, she’d really flip if she found us sexing each other up in the kitchen.”

“Hm, my naughty Slayer.” Spike slapped Buffy’s pert ass. He grinned when the faint scent of arousal hit his nostrils. He leaned in to kiss his mate again. Her warm lips parted under his own, and he explored her mouth with his cool tongue.

Buffy broke away, her voice breathless as she spoke, “We better get back to the others before they send out a search party.”

“Too late,” Oz’s sardonic voice sounded from the kitchen door. He was followed by Willow and the new girl Tara.

“We decided to check up on you while we got the snack trays.” Willow pointed at the trays on the table and counters. She turned to Tara. “Help me take a couple out.”

Tara continued to stare at the blonds while she nodded absentmindedly. Their auras were so beautiful; even more so than Oz and Willow’s. The other couples’ auras were very peaceful and loving to the Wicca as well, except the dark haired vampire’s and his LoveWater consort. She could see a darkness tingeing their connection.

Xander entered the room with a disgusted look on his face. “You never told me that Deadboy in there was so…” His mouth twisted in a moue of distaste. “… I don’t know… cuddly.”

“No, he wasn’t cuddly at all. That’s why I traded up in my vampire boyfriends.” Buffy smiled brightly at Spike.

Xander shook his head with a chuckle. This was a happy Buffy that he would have missed knowing if he hadn’t gotten his head out of his ass. Anyanka’s demonic state didn’t allow for him to look at other girls, and Xander knew he was clearly over his infatuation with Buffy. It was obvious she just wasn’t demonic enough for him.

“Everyone, grab a tray then,” Willow ordered as politely as possible. “Giles wants to distract Joyce with presents.” She pulled Tara over to the table where she handed the other girl a tray before she picked up one of her own.

“We might as well do as they say.” Oz tilted his head while he stared at Willow and Tara. “Tara’s been teaching Will some nice spells. They’re kinda scary together.”

“He can talk!” Xander teased. “I thought for sure the Oz man here was mute.”

“Be nice, silly,” Willow said as she went past Xander. “Or I’ll turn you into a bunny.” She and Tara left the kitchen.

“She better not,” Xander replied. “Anyanka hates bunnies.”

“Bunnies are cute,” Buffy protested. “How can bunnies be scary?”

“She gets too freaked out by them to explain.” Xander grabbed another tray of food to take out to the living room.

Oz followed Xander’s lead, and in a few seconds, Spike and Buffy were alone again.

“Guess we can’t put this off any longer, can we?” Buffy sighed. “Mom’s gonna want to know all the gory details.” She grabbed Spike’s hand before they followed the others out of the kitchen.

Once Buffy was in the living room, she gave the bottle of water to her mom while she waited for the inevitable questions to start.

Joyce looked up at her daughter. The Valium was making her feel much calmer now. “Tell me everything, dear.”

Buffy gave a half smile. With a nod, she sat down closer to her mother with Spike within reach, just in case she needed his support. She avoided looking at Angel and Jenny, who were kissing without any regard to anyone else in the room. Buffy turned to her mom, and she said, “It all started back in Los Angeles.”

Then, the Slayer went on to tell her mother about Merrick, the Hellmouth, the Master, her own death, Spike’s arrival to Sunnydale, and how they all ended up in their current situations.

“I still can’t find these symbols listed anywhere in Giles’ books.” Willow pulled out the notebook where she had copied the symbols that Buffy had shown her. She flipped open to the proper page, and she turned it to show the others the drawings.

Anyanka got a serious look on her face. “I know those. I’m sure of it.”

“Can you remember them?” Willow asked eagerly.

“I’ll have to think about them,” Anyanka replied. Her face was still scrunched in concentration.

(END FLASHBACK)

“I do remember what they are now,” Anyanka said. “They are the symbols of Hathor.”

“Hathor, the Egyptian Goddess of Love?” Willow asked. “Are you sure?”

“Oh yes, those are her personal symbols, not the ones that most mortals would even know.” Anyanka looked thoughtful.

“Where did you see them?” Giles asked.

“My last visit to Arashmahaar, my boss had a special visitor. She had those symbols tattooed on her skin.” Anyanka shrugged. “Hoffy told me that she was Hathor.

“Why would a goddess be interested in us?” Xander looked confused.

“Because I have seen how it could turn out, and I was determined to change it.”

The Scoobies turned to see a magnificent woman standing in the middle of the Summers’ living room. She was tall and majestic, dressed in ancient robes with a musical instrument in her arms. Poking out of her hair were horns in which a golden disc was suspended between by magic. Up her arms, in black ink, were the symbols that had appeared on the LoveWater fountain.





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