[Reviews - 230]
-
Table of Contents [Report This]
Microsoft Word Chapter or Story | ePub eBook Chapter or Story | Printer Chapter or Story

Has been viewed 1574 times

- Text Size +




Reunions / Part 26

****************

In order to decrease any further possibility of misunderstanding Buffy whispered something to Faith and within less than a minute all of the slayers were walking toward their parked SUV’s where they disarmed themselves of all weapons. Willow hesitated for a moment, then shrugging her shoulders took off her backpack of magical supplies and weapons. The other witches seeing Willow do so also surrendered whatever magical items and weapons they were carrying to the safekeeping of the SUV’s. Giles was only carrying one wooden stake and surrendered it without hesitation. Robin surrendered two stakes and two knives. Angel had one stake inside his jacket pocket, Nina and Connor were unarmed. Dawns weapons were still in the living quarters and unavailable.

As they stood there everyone but Xander had surrendered their weapons. Xander looked around at everyone for a few moments and then shacking his head as if he thought they were all crazy took off the long heavy canvas duster he had been wearing since he’d left the hotel. As he took off the duster they could see that he had hidden pockets sewn inside that contained a half dozen stakes and a dozen small throwing knives. He was also wearing two shoulder holsters with heavy 45 caliber automatic pistols. He took off the holsters and laid them down on the open jacket. He then pulled up one pants leg and pulled out a knife from his boot.. Then going to the other leg he pulled another knife out of the other boot. Reaching up over his shoulder he pulled a third knife out of a hidden sheath, and then finally reaching behind him he pulled out into the open the biggest hand gun any of them had ever seen. Everyone stood there in silence watching Xander wrap his arsenal up in his jacket and put it inside one of the SUV’s.

When he turned back to them Xander noticed their silence and grinning at them, he said “Hey, you try stopping a charging elephant with a stake sometime and see how well it works out.”

They all stood there in shock until Faith broke out into laughter as she walked up to Xander and gave him a hug. “Yeah, and how many elephants did you try to stake before you learned better, jungle boy, huh?”

“Well, none really” Xander replied with an even bigger grin. “Do I look like some kind of slayer to anyone? No sir, not me, I leave that kind of stuff up to Buffy.”

Faith glanced over at Buffy and grinned, “You know, I’ll bet she’d try it, just to give the elephant an even chance.”

Buffy stood there for a moment or two with her mouth hanging open as if she couldn’t think of anything to say then snapped it shut, gave both Xander and Faith an evil eye, turned around and flounced away. But as she quickly walked away she had a small smile on her face. It had been a long time since anyone had tried to make a joke at her expense, for any reason. It reminded her of how much she had missed Xander over the years.

***

When Buffy walked away from her friends smiling she noticed that Joy and all of the younger children, and most of the older ones too, were gathered over by the school bus that had brought Anne and the other adults to the warehouse. Because of her height and the fact that almost all of the adults standing by the bus were taller than her Buffy walked over to one side of the crowd to see what was going on. As she stood with her arms folded in front of her, Buffy watched one adult after another come forward with a bag or a box and call out the names of several children. When the children came forward the adult would open the bag or box and bring forth wrapped packages and hand them to each of the children. When all of the children had their packages, usually three or four, Anne gave a signal and all of the children started tearing away at the wrapping paper to see what was inside. In each case it was basically the same, new underwear and socks, new pants and shirts, new skirts and blouses, or new dresses for some of the girls. But there were other smaller things also, such as combs, hair clips, ribbons, little mirrors, shampoo, soap, lipstick, razors, shaving cream, perfume and makeup for the older girls. For some of the older boys there was also soap, shampoo, cologne, shaving cream and razors.

Of all the children, both the younger and older, Joy was the only one who didn’t open her packages. Instead she rushed around to all the other children making cooing and chirping sounds, giving hugs and kisses, and enjoying the happiness of everyone else. She looked at everyone’s presents and seemed just as happy for them as if they were for herself.

While she stood there the rest of Buffys group had drifted over to see what was going on. They were all impressed by the behavior of the children. Not a single child had been missed, except for some of the older ones that weren’t currently present, but packages awaited them also. Each child was pleased and happy to get what they received, there wasn’t a single complaint from any of them that someone got something they didn’t get or something they wanted. But one thing Buffy did notice was that several of the older girls were standing together talking and looking at small packages of makeup with a look that told her that none of them knew what to do with what they had or how to use it.

With the second small smile of the day on her lips Buffy caught Dawns attention and motioned her over. When Dawn was next to her Buffy spoke to her quietly. “You’ve been here a couple of days so most of these kids know you. Round up a couple of the slayers that know how to apply makeup and see if you can give those girls over there some help without hurting their feelings, okay.”

Dawn gave a big smile to Buffy and immediately went through the slayers and picked out three of them to follow her. Within a few minutes Dawn and the other three slayers were over next to the older girls and were discussing makeup and hair styles and what went best with hair color and skin tone and all of them were laughing and giggling happily. As she continued to watch, Dawn and the three slayers headed back down the hall toward the living quarters with the older girls talking a mile a minute. Two of the adult women that came with Anne and a couple of the slayers were herding the younger children with their packages in their arms back to the living area also. She also noticed that Xander had moved up next to a couple of the older boys and was talking to them. He was holding one of the razors in his hand and motioning toward the patch on his eye and shaking his head sadly, but with a smile on his face. The boys were grinning back at him, but were listening to what he had to say. Andrew had moved up next to Xander and was talking to the boys. As a group they all started walking down the hall to the living area together. The third small smile of the day was spread across Buffys lips as she watched them go.

Four of the adults that had come with Anne gathered up the packages for the older children that hadn’t received theirs yet and started down the hall with them to the living area. Several of the slayers offered to help with the packages and went with them. A half dozen of the remaining adults climbed back onto the bus and started bringing out boxes and coolers of food and drinks, paper plates and plastic cups, everything that was needed for a party. When they opened up the back door of the bus and started pulling out long folding tables a dozen of the slayers hurried over to give them a hand with the tables and any other help they needed. After a short discussion and a pointing of fingers a location was picked for where everything should go. Other slayers started carrying the boxes and bags of food, snacks and soft drinks that they had brought in the SUV’s over to the location and sorting things out to the proper places for everything to go.

Looking around Buffy realized that of her group, Giles, Willow, Faith, Robin, Angel, Nina, Connor and the three witches were the only ones still with her. Everyone else was busy or off somewhere else. To one side of the room Kar-Hool, Anne and Joy were standing together with Joy holding each of their hands. Anne and Kar-Hool kept nodding to each other and to Joy and would occasionally look over at Buffy. Buffy knew that Joy was speaking in their minds and probably making it possible for them to speak in each others minds too, since they weren’t talking out loud to each other. Since a portion of their conversation seemed to be about her and her friends Buffy decided to join them. She looked at her friends and nodding her head toward the others and led them over to them.

When Buffy stopped a couple of feet from Kar-Hool, Anne and Joy she spoke to them. “When people talk about me it makes my ears ring, so I was wondering if I could help you out, answer questions, whatever.” Buffys tone of voice had been calm and friendly, but the strain of the night was still there, for those who could hear it. Joy looked up at her as she released the hands of the other two and smiled at her. Anne looked at her and smiled, but Buffy could see that she had unshed tears in her eyes that she was holding back. Kar-Hool had what could only pass as a frown on his face. He was the first to speak, “The Child of Light has explained that you have come to talk to my Brother Spike, but he has run away to avoid talking to you. I do not understand this. I know my Brother does not fear you, because he fears nothing, not even death. Can you explain this?”

Buffy took a deep breath and squared her shoulders as she looked up at Kar-Hool. “In the human world, sometimes there are things that are more fearful, or at least more painful, than death. There is a misunderstanding between Spike and I that has caused us both great pain. I came here to talk to him to try to straighten out this misunderstanding and to ease the pain for both of us. I have learned some things that Spike did not want me to know and it is causing him pain right now. I hope that when he lets me talk to him I will be able to ease his pain and change this misunderstanding.”

“What is this misunderstanding that causes so much pain for my Brother” Kar-Hool asked, his voice a quiet rumble.

“Spike loves me, I know this is true” Buffy said quietly as a tear ran down her cheek. “But he also believes that I do not, or can not love him, which is not true.”

“I do not understand this” Kar-Hool stated as he shook his head side to side. “My brother is surrounded by love. He has the love of the Child of Light as well as the love of his other children, he knows this is true. He has friends all over this city above that love him and he knows this is true. Even amongst my Clan, only after my father, Mar-Hool the High Priest and leader of the Hool-Mar Clan, he is the most beloved and he knows this is true. There are others as well, in the human world above and the demon world below that also love my Brother, he know this is true also. If you love my Brother as you have said, how can he not know this is true?”

Hearing of the love of so many for Spike sent a thrill of pride through Buffys heart and at the same time knowing that he didn’t believe that she could love him sent a stab of pain. As more tears ran down her face Buffy spoke again, “The misunderstanding between us started before he came to this city, years ago. I thought until a few days ago that he was dead and have grieved for him. As soon as I found out he was alive I came looking for him to make him understand the truth, that I do love him, with all my heart and soul.”

Kar-Hool took a quick step back from Buffy with a look of shock on his face “You are the one he spoke of, who can only love a vampire with a soul and not ….”

“Kar-Hool Stop!” Anne called out quickly as she moved to grab his arm. Joy at the same time slapped her hand against his side. Kar-Hool stopped in the middle of what he was saying and looked at Anne and then down at Joy. Joy stared up into his eyes until he nodded his head as if agreeing to something.

Buffy was shocked at Kar-Hools behavior and by what he had said, or started to say. She was equally shocked by Anne’s and Joy’s behavior. It was clear to her that Kar-Hool knew something that they didn’t want him to tell her. But what? “Kar-Hool, please, if you know something, please tell me” Buffy nearly begged.

Kar-Hool shook his head sadly side to side and a tear ran down from one of his eyes. He lifted his hand and wiped the tear onto one of his fingers. He then held his hand out to Buffy so that she could see his tear. “My people do not cry easily, it takes great love or great sorrow to make this happen. The greater the love, or the greater the sorrow, the more tears we shed.”

As Buffy looked up at Kar-Hool a steady stream of tears flowed down his face and dripped down onto his chest and the floor. While Buffy watched, Joy put her hand on his arm. She knew from personal experience that Joy could touch someone and sooth their emotional pain. But as she watched the tears continued to flow without abating. He finally turned his back to Buffy to prevent her seeing more of his tears. But as she continued to watch him she saw the tears splashing as they hit the floor. With tears flowing from her own eyes a great pain started squeezing Buffys heart and she knew that it would surely break in just another moment. She knew that she was dieing, and this time she wouldn’t come back.

When Joy grabbed Buffys hand it was like a bucket of ice water had been thrown in her face. She dropped to her knees and gasped for air as if she had been drowning. Her whole body was shaking as she drew in lung full after lung full of deep breaths. Giles had rushed to her side and Willow to the other. Each had a hold on her, but she continued to shake. She bent over double as she wrapped her arms around herself. A roaring was in her ears, she could hear voices calling her name but it seemed as if they were calling from a great distance. Then everything went black as she lost consciousness.

***

When Buffy woke up she found herself alone, lying in Spikes bed. The irony of that thought made her grimace. She was inside the little room that she knew Spike shared with Joy, and where she had hidden earlier in the night when she listened to Spike tell Dawn his version of the truth about why Buffy couldn’t love him. The memory of that confession made Buffy gasp and brought tears to her eyes again. Her gasp had been louder than she thought because Dawn was through the doorway and kneeling at her side and holding her hand in just moments.

“Buffy” Dawn cried as tears dripped from her eyes, “Please Buffy, you’ve got to stop doing this. Spikes alive and he loves you and you love him. It’s going to work out Buffy. You said so yourself, all you have to do is talk to him and make him understand. Please Buffy, don’t die, I love you so much. Please don‘t leave me.”

Buffy opened her eyes and stared up at Dawn as she blinked the tears out of her eyes. “I’m okay Dawnie” Buffy said in a low raspy voice. “Sorry I scared you, kind of scared myself too. Wasn’t even trying this time, it just hurt too much. I guess it was Joy who saved me. Maybe I should thank her, when I’m feeling better.”

“Yeah, you do that, okay” Dawn said through her own tears. “We’ll both thank her, when your feeling better. But you just get some rest right now. I’ll be here if you need me.”

Buffy closed her eyes and let herself drift off into sleep. Dawn stayed with her until she was asleep and then releasing her hand she quietly left the room.

***

Buffy didn’t know how long she had been unconscious or how long she had slept, but it couldn’t have been that long because the sun hadn’t risen yet. She knew this because when Joy burst through the flap covering the doorway and shook her into awareness it was the first thought in her mind. *We must hurry * Joy said inside her head *Father has returned and he is in great pain. He wants to walk out into the sun. We must stop him*

Buffy was on her feet and out the doorway before she could even think straight. “Where is he” she asked Joy quickly? “Can you lead me there?”

Before she could go any further Buffy was surrounded by Giles, Willow, Dawn and Faith. “Buffy where in the world do you think your going” Giles said as he gripped her arm. Buffy flipped Giles hold on her off with such force that it nearly spun him around.

“Get out of my way, I’ve got to go, now” Buffy shouted.

“Buffy, where are you going” Dawn yelled at her as she jumped in front of her.

“Spikes going to kill himself. I’ve got to stop him. As soon as the sun comes up he’s dead” Buffy gasped out as she pushed past Dawn.

Before she could take more than two steps Dawn called out urgently “Do you need help?”

Buffy froze in her track and looked around to see who was there. “Faith, I need you” and still looking around she saw Kar-Hool. She grabbed Joy under the arms and threw her through the air and into his arms. “Kar-Hool, I need you to. Just go where she tells you to go and we’ll keep up.” Joy apparently gave Kar-Hool quick instructions because he took off in a run with Joy in his arms and both Buffy and Faith had to sprint to keep up with him.

They raced down a hallway and up a flight of stairs, then turning left they ran at full speed through a dark empty warehouse. When they came to another hallway they ran down it until they came to a locked door. Kar-Hool barely slowed down, when he got to the door he kicked it so hard it ripped off it’s hinges and sailed out into an empty driveway. They were outside now and Buffy could see the sky was lightening. She knew from years of experience that it was just a matter of minutes before the sun would break the horizon. Joy gave Kar-Hool directions and he started running toward another empty warehouse building.

As they ran Kar-Hool called over his shoulder “I understand what we must do, but I have to warn you that my Brother is a Great Champion and has fought many battles against great odds. If he chooses to fight us we may not be able to defeat him before the sun comes up. I am also sworn not to shed his blood so I will not be able to fight at my fullest for fear of breaking my oath.”

“We don’t have to defeat him or shed his blood, we just need to get him inside a building and away from the sun. Once we get him under cover if he still wants to fight I’ll kick his ass myself” Buffy yelled back at him.

“I thought you loved him” Kar-Hool called back.

“With Spike and Buffy, kicking each others asses is called foreplay before they make love” Faith called out with a laugh.

“Yeah, and it’s been a long time since I’ve done either one” Buffy said grimly.

****************





You must login (register) to review.