Before Buffy could answer Spike’s question, Giles’ door opened. She snapped her head towards the sound and saw Giles standing just outside of his apartment, “Giles. Hey. What’s up?”
“Ah, Buffy, I was hoping it would be you out here. I was hoping we could discuss some things as far as your training goes and as to how you were called,” Gesturing for them to step inside of his apartment, “If you will, please?”
Buffy chanced a look at Spike, seeing the unanswered question still in his eyes. Sighing, she followed Giles into his apartment. Turning around just before she got through the door, she gestured to Spike to follow.
Giles stepped in front of her, blocking the view of Spike, “Buffy, do you really think it’s best if Spike be invited in? It isn’t really necessary for him to be here.”
“And why shouldn’t he be here? From what I’ve heard he’s been patrolling on his own and helping you all whenever you’ve asked for it. Tonight he’s helped me in more ways than one. He may not be your friend but I consider him mine and if that is a problem for you then I think we’re finished here.”
Buffy stared at Giles. She couldn’t understand why Giles was making such a big deal about Spike. Ever since she had gotten into this universe he hadn’t done anything that could even warrant a label of “mischievous” but all she knew was that she wasn’t going to back down, “Look, I don’t know what all of your problems are with him, and honestly, I don’t care. Judging by Xander alone I would say that for you people the only good demon is a dead demon and that isn’t the same for me. I was trained differently. I slay differently than you all do and differently than you all expect me to, which that much is obvious.
“I didn’t come to this universe to be scrutinized and to have my every action controlled by people that I don’t even know. I don’t care that you all are used to having a Buffy that will do your every bidding. She’s gone and she’s not coming back. Ever. So you better get used to the fact that I am a completely different person, a completely different slayer. Now the big question is, are you going to deal with that or do I need to relocate to a place where the people aren’t so bigoted?”
Giles simply stared at Buffy. He wasn’t sure where her outburst had come from. Nor had he noticed that the rest of the group was surrounding them and staring as well. They had all be present for their confrontation. He could tell however that what she said was true. She was a different person. She seemed to know who she was and was very confident in that fact. When she was speaking to them she kept her voice steady and calm, yet assertive and to the point.
This Buffy had made the point that he had been trying to avoid. Their Buffy wasn’t going to come back. He had heard Whistler tell them this, yet he still didn’t want to admit the fact that they had lost her. Even though they had a Buffy, it wasn’t the same. This Buffy wasn’t someone that had gone through the same experiences that they had, and this was something that was going to take a bit of effort to adjust to.
Turning to step back into this apartment, Giles opened the door a bit wider, “Spike, come in, please.”
Startled, Buffy snapped her head towards him, “Wait, not that I’m complaining, but, just like that? Not five seconds ago you were seriously looking like you were going to stake Spike and have me committed for even suggesting that you invite him in. What happened?”
Sighing, Giles took his glasses off and began cleaning them with his handkerchief, “Buffy, I understand that things aren’t quite like you were expecting when you showed up here. You were not what we were expecting either, especially not what I was expecting. Before we continue this, could we all please step inside so that we aren’t airing our dirty laundry to my community neighbors?”
Buffy looked around to find Spike’s eyes. Looking at him directly, she wanted to make sure that he was going to join them inside, knowing that he wanted the same answers that she needed to give them. She waited until he nodded at her before turning back to Giles, “Okay. We can finish this inside. There are some things that you all definitely need to know.”
The group piled into Giles’ apartment, taking their chosen spots of resting. All except for Buffy, who was still pacing the floors of the apartment. After five minutes of patiently waiting for Buffy to begin, Giles cleared his throat, “Buffy, are you going to begin any time soon or should I be preparing for a nap in between your pacing?”
Stopping, Buffy realized that time had passed quicker than what she had thought, “Sorry. I was just trying to figure out how to start,” taking a deep breath, “Okay. So. First thing first, I don’t have a heartbeat. I didn’t really think it was important but then Spike kind of pointed it out and I realized that you all aren’t really used to me and that you didn’t know about the no heartbeat thing and then I remembered that this is a completely different universe and that the way things were for me are certainly not like they are here—“
Spike grabbed her arm, stopping her ranting, “Buffy, just because you don’t have a heartbeat doesn’t meant that you don’t need to breathe. Take a breath before we all get winded for you. And some punctuation might be nice.”
Doing as she was told, Buffy took a deep breath, “You’re right. Sorry. I’m just kind of nervous about what’s going to be said.”
Finally jumping out of his stupor, Giles stood up, “You don’t have a heartbeat? At all?”
Buffy shook her head, “No. None. Notta. Never. It went away a little while after I was called.”
Giles was baffled, “How?”
“I don’t know. It’s just how things were there. Whistler said that Slayers didn’t need heartbeats. We’re immortal so they kind of became irrelevant. So definitely don’t take me to the hospital if I’m hurt.”
Taking his glasses off, “Yes, of course. That would be the best course of action if the situation ever arose.” Giles walked over to his desk and grabbed a notebook and a pencil, “Just how were you called, Buffy?”
Buffy let out a large sigh, then leaned against the wall, “When I was twelve I was called. I was at home with my father and he started the day with a glass of whiskey. “ Pausing to take a deep breath, she held it as if she were afraid to continue, “Whenever he drank he was always at his worst. He had a very short temper and there wasn’t a thing I could ever do to make him not angry with me. He would ways find a way to punish me. That afternoon I hadn’t had lunch ready whenever he wanted it and so he got angry. And headed straight for me. I was so mad. I didn’t know what I was doing. I just felt this…..unfairness and I was tired of it. I saw him raise his hand and then that was it. I saw red and I hit him before he could hit me. I’d never hit him before, and I didn’t think I had even hit him that hard.”
“When did you realize that you had the extra strength?”
“When I opened my eyes and he was across the room. And the fact that he never woke up also gave me some kind of inclination. I didn’t know what to do. I was scared. There wasn’t anyone who could have helped me. So I ran. And then when I stopped, I met Whistler and he explained it all to me.”
Buffy glanced around the room, meeting every pair of eyes that was just staring back at her. Unsure of how to absorb all of this information she had just divulged. When she met Spike’s eyes she noted that they weren’t filled with shock or confusion. She realized that he must have understood what she had gone through.
Giles broke her out of her thoughts once again, “So is that why you decided to come to this universe? You killed your father? Not that it’s not a good reason but surely that wouldn’t have mattered in that world? It was such a long time ago from the way you’re talking, that it wouldn’t have made a difference.”
Taking a deep breath, Buffy broke her gaze from Spike and faced Giles, “You’re not wrong. Killing him wasn’t a part of my decision making when I decided to come here.”
“Then what was?”
“It all started when I met Lee.”
Confused, Giles began scribbling in his notebook again, “And who was this Lee fellow?”
“He’s my husband.”
TBC
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Author's Chapter Notes:
I am so so so so so so so so so so so so so sorry!!!!!!!!! I am a BAD BAD BAD BAD BAD author!! So sorry that it took me this long to get this one chapter out!!! But in all fairness....RL has been kicking my butt and then on top of that this chapter has a bit of beginning fun in it.....but I also wrote a HUGE portion of the next chapter at the same time....which I will admit took a lot out of me emotionally.
I hope you enjoy!
I hope you enjoy!
Chapter End Notes:
So?? Worth the wait?