Chapter 65: Waiting Game
Clearly, the carousel did not include a microphone, because a few days later, not a peep had come from Quentin Travers. Dana was in and out of consciousness, going through what could only be compared to a sort of detoxification from the drug she had been under the influence of.
Tara and Willow were diligently working in the dining room. Tara was researching, while Willow tried to pick apart the components of the drug Dana had been injecting herself with. Faith and Buffy had taken turns staying with Dana, and right now, it was Faith’s turn.
Buffy, Spike, Dawn, and Hank were all settled into the living room. The TV was on, but nobody was paying much attention to it. Spike was sprawled out on the couch with Buffy between his legs. Her hands rested on her belly, and his arms were wrapped around her, his own hands resting atop hers. Dawn and Hank were playing monopoly, and Hank was losing terribly.
The past couple of days had been pretty intense, but after several long talks and a lot of uncrossing of wires, Dawn, Buffy, and their father had started to reconnect, picking up where they’d left off in Los Angeles, before this mess with his business and before everything with Dana and Travers.
“You cheated!” Hank accused, pointing at Dawn.
“What? I did not!”
“You did. You rolled an eight. You only went seven. You’re supposed to land on my hotel.”
“You need glasses old man,” Dawn laughed. When he showed no sign of letting up, she rolled her eyes. “Fine. How about a bribe?” She handed him a golden piece of monopoly money.
“You’ll have to do a lot better than that, little girl.”
“Uch. Now I remember why I hated playing this with you. You hate losing.” Dawn handed him two of the five-hundred-dollar monopoly monies.
“Never figured why people found this game so interesting,” Spike commented. “It’s a family game, but the way I see it, when money and properties are involved, that only leads to tension and arguing.”
“Yeah, well, it’s a fun bonding experience,” Dawn said through clenched teeth as Hank proudly placed his newly acquired money into his growing pile.
“Case in point,” Spike murmured.
“Yeah, well, we all know one person who loves it,” Dawn offered. All at once, she, Spike, and Buffy said, “Anya.”
“What?” Everyone turned to the foyer, where Anya and Xander were standing with boxes of pizza and liters of soda in their arms.
“Oh, pizza!” Buffy beamed, hopping off the couch and hurrying over to Xander. “Did you get my pepperoni and barbecue?”
“Yep.”
“You told them barbecue instead of pizza sauce, right?”
“Yep.”
“You’re sure? Because you know that makes me…”
“After the last time, I learned my lesson, Buff. It’s all yours.” He pointed to the box on top, and she took it and headed off for the kitchen. Everybody followed behind her, and within moments, Faith was ducking her head out of the basement.
“Hey, mind if I join?”
“How’s Dana?” Buffy queried.
“Still out of it. I’m starving.” Buffy shrugged.
“Sure. Why not. It’s not like she can get past us if she does wake up, anyway.” Buffy moved aside so Faith could step in, and everybody began grabbing at various slices of pizza. Spike lingered in the background, sipping on a mug of blood.
After several minutes of silent chewing, Dawn finally opened her mouth.
“So,” she said quietly, “what happens when she gets this stuff out of her system?” Everybody turned to the youngest Summers girl. “I mean, is she gonna remember going to Dad or what she did to you, Faith?”
“I dunno, kid,” Faith admitted. “I guess that’s something we’ve gotta wait for. Whatever it was Travers was poisoning her with, he wanted to use it on me. Maybe my memories are pretty scary, but I’d rather have those than not have them and wonder who the hell I am or where I came from.” Everyone was silent at that thought. And before too long, everyone was scattering about the house to continue with their previous tasks.
Buffy, however, lingered behind in the kitchen. Faith turned to head to the basement, but Buffy stepped in her way.
“Hey.”
“What?” Faith asked quickly.
“Why don’t you take a break? I can watch her.”
“My shift just started.”
“I know,” Buffy said quietly. Faith narrowed her eyes.
“Are you being nice to me?”
“Don’t get used to it. I wanted to get a little time in with the punching bag anyway.”
“Thought you did that this morning.”
“Yeah, well, it turns out, pregnancy hormones sometimes don’t know how to deal with themselves.”
“Something wrong?”
“No,” Buffy said with a quiet little laugh. “Just restless.”
“Ok,” Faith said quietly. “I guess I’ll go patrol.”
“It’s ok, Faith. It can wait. Just…relax. Have fun. Or something.” Faith, a little taken off guard, shrugged her shoulder.
“Whatever you say, B.” She headed off, and Buffy turned, heading down to the basement. She placed her hands protectively over her burgeoning stomach and made her way over to the cot Dana was passed out on. The young woman’s head jerked violently from side to side, sweat beading at her temples.
“Jesus,” Buffy muttered, “he really had you pumped with that stuff.” She knelt down next to Dana’s cot and cocked her head to the side. “Can you hear me?” A soft murmur escaped the girl’s lips, but her eyes remained closed tightly. “Dana?” Several moments later, she sighed and stood up, heading over to the punching bag. However, before she could throw the first punch, she felt arms encircle her from behind.
“S’wrong, luv?” Buffy sighed and leaned against him, shaking her head.
“I dunno. I can’t stop thinking.”
“About what?”
“Anything. Everything.” She turned in his arms. “Tell me it’s gonna be ok.” Spike smiled a little and cocked his head to the side as he tucked a stray strand of hair behind his wife’s ear.
“Everything is gonna be ok, pet.” Buffy sighed and nodded. “Hey. Look at me.” Her eyes met his, and his smile widened a little. “We’ve got this under control. Dana’s gonna be out of this in a day or two. Travers obviously has no idea what we’ve done, because we’ve heard nothing. I gotta say, pet. Looks like we’re holding all the cards right now.” Buffy nodded slowly.
“Yeah. But that doesn’t mean it’s gonna stay that way. I just…I hate waiting. I want this over. I wanna know the baby’s safe. I wanna know my friends are safe. I’m just…I want Travers out of the picture.” She looked over at Dana and then slowly turned out of Spike’s arms. She looked at the carousel that she’d placed before Dana’s cot. Surely Travers had gotten a glimpse of the girl. But why hadn’t he come for her? What was he waiting for? “Why isn’t he coming?”
“Maybe he’s on his way…”
“No. He’d have been here by now if he was. Maybe…”
“Maybe he’s playing mind games with you. That drug is gonna work its way out of the girl’s system eventually, pet. And when it does, his plan’s ruined. The baby’s safe.”
“Yeah,” Buffy said quietly, “and he’ll still be there giving orders. I want him out of the Council, Spike. I want him here so I can do it myself.”
“You’re not talking about killing him?” Buffy swallowed hard. The thought had occurred to her, but she knew she couldn’t take a human life. Not even his.
“No,” she said quietly. She turned toward Dana again. “But I have half a mind to give him a taste of his own medicine.” Spike eyed his wife as she paced before him. “I just want him here.”
“He’ll come, pet. Sooner or later he’ll see we’re not letting her go. He’ll be here.”
“And then what? We slap him around for doing this to us? I want him out of the Council. I want…I don’t ever want to have to think about him again.”
“Buffy,” he said quietly, “what do you think’ll happen if he does leave the Council? Nobody’s gonna like the fact that you’re having my baby. We’re gonna have a hell of a battle to fight. They’ll all be coming at us…”
“Not with the right person in charge.” Buffy began to pace a little faster. “I’ve gotta talk to Giles.” She started up the steps, leaving Spike in a still silence while the detoxifying Slayer in the cot continued to shudder violently and whimper into the dark.
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Chapter End Notes:
Hey guys! Yeah, I realize this was a short chapter. It's been a while, I know. I've been having health problems and have had some troubles since returning from my vacation to see my sister. Anyway, I'm doing better, and I hope to finish this story very soon! :) Thanks for all of your wonderful words and support, and for your patience! Let me know what you think!