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Chapter 5: Words Mirrored by two

“Oh good lord.....Buffy? Are you alright?” He brought his hands up to her cheeks, then pulled her to him.
“Giles.” Buffy hugged him. “I’m okay.” Giles looked over at Spike while still holding Buffy.
“How did this happen?”
“Well, there were about twelve vampires out there. They had her surrounded, and were taking turns playing ‘kick the slayer’ I got there just as one of them hit her with a heavy blow to the head. She collapsed, and then I took over. Dusted the rest then took her to my crypt until nightfall.” Giles looked back to Buffy.
“Well, thank god you got to her in time Spike. You-” He looked over to Spike, and released Buffy. A look of astonishment was about his gentle features. “You saved her.” Giles said. Spike wasn’t sure what was so amazing, or astonishing.
“Well, yeah! What did you think? I was just going to watch as those wankers beat her to death? Any one with any decency would have helped her.” Spike said. Giles nodded.
“Yes. It seems so.” He said pointedly. “Thank you Spike. But, I think I can handle it from here. I’m afraid I must do the watcher thing, and give Buffy some activities to do to exercise her other senses and make them stronger until her vision comes ba-” Giles was cut off, but the front door suddenly opening. Willow and Tara walked in, laughing care freely, and enjoying each other’s company. They had just got back from a “Willow-Tara” day out. It was Tara who first realized something was wrong, when everyone was gathered around Buffy in the fashion that they were. She had immediately stopped laughing, and her carefree smile disappeared.
“What’s going on?” Tara asked. Willow looked around at everyone crouched around Buffy.
“Yeah, and why is everyone all, crowdy around Buffy?” Willow asked, taking a step forward. Giles mouth moved trying to answer. Willow looked at him, with he brow scrunched. Her face was too demanding, and Giles closed his mouth and looked away. Buffy sat up.
“Willow?” Buffy slowly swung her legs off the couch and stood. Giles, Dawn and Spike stepped back to give her space- especially Spike. Buffy cautiously took two steps toward her friend. Willow took immediate note of how she was moving. Buffy, not trusting that she wouldn’t run into something, reached her hand out to Willow.
“Will?” Buffy said again. Willow took Buffy’s hand.
“Okay.” Willow started. “Somebody better tell me what the hell is going on.” Willow said as she gently pulled Buffy towards her. Willow and Buffy hugged for a little while. When they released each other, Willow helped Buffy get to the couch, and she sat down herself, and looked expectantly at Giles again. Giles had explained, and Spike filled in all the blanks.
**********************
*Some time later*

“Oh god........” Willow trailed off. Tara finally took a seat on the couch next to
Willow, and took her hand into her own.
“They....You almost died.” Willow said, not believing what she had just been told. “You know, you’ve had a long day. Why don’t you just let Xander, Tara, Anya, Spike and I handle patrolling now for a while. Ya know, just until......just until....you get your vision back.” Willow said the last part quickly.
“What?! No! Really. I’m fine I can pat-” Willow stood quickly, still looking down at her best friend.
“N-no!” She held up her index finger. “Th-this is not open for discussion, Buffy you almost......you almost died....*again*!” Willow emphasized. Tara nodded, in agreement.
“Yeah Buffy. W-we’re not saying t-to stop slaying altogether, we just want you to take a breather, a-and relax a little Buffy.”
“Yeah. Don’t worry Buffy. Xander, Tara, Anya, me and Willow will handle all the slaying business.” Dawn piped up, trying to sneak her name into the Slaying column.
Buffy’s eyes went wide.
“Dawn!” Her head darted back and forth trying to find her sister. “Damn it! Where ever the hell you are, the answer is NO! You are not going out there! She is not going out there!” Buffy said, pointing at Dawn. Giles took Buffy’s hand and moved it in the total opposite direction of what it was pointing to, so now she was actually pointing at Dawn. Dawn sat down defeated. Buffy sighed.
“I’m tired I think I’m going to go up to my room to sleep.” Buffy said, and got up.
“Oh God! Okay um.....I’ll walk you up there.” Willow said, fearing her friend would get hurt. Willow ran up to Buffy, and put on arm around her waist, and held Buffy’s hand with her other. Willow led Buffy up to her room exactly like that.
“Ya know Willow,” Buffy said as they reached the tenth step. “I know my own house. I don’t need to be pampered.” Buffy said. Willow ignored her and kept walking.
“Right, cos it’s not like you wouldn’t run into any walls or, I dunno, trip over this basket that is in the middle of the hall way.......” Willow said.


**********************
The next days were pretty much hell for Buffy. Everyone treated her like a porcelain doll, that if it was touched, it would suddenly fall into a million pieces or something. No one would let her patrol at night, they took over for her. They wouldn’t let her be alone in the house, for fear of an attack on the house, and her not being able to see, and every time she got up to do something, some one always accompanied her there. Buffy knew the gist came from the heart, but it was getting annoying, the way they treated her like.........god, like she was helpless. She had felt that once, her sophomore year when Giles had injected her with a needle. She hated that feeling. The only person that was half way decent about was Spike. He was a little edgy about a few things, but he gave her ample space, or at least more space then the rest of the Scoobies.
It had been three long days that Giles had worked with Buffy on heightening her senses enough to were she could fool any one into thinking she could see, even though her sight hadn’t improved. And it had been three long days that Giles worried over how Buffy almost died. It was only twelve vampires. Today was nearing the end of the third day, and today he decided he would have to say something.
“Okay, I think that’s good for today Giles. I’m all sight-heightening exercised out. What time is it anyway?” Giles looked at his watch. It’s about four thirty in the afternoon. Now Buffy are you sure you’ll be alright?” Giles asked.
“Yes, I’ll be fine.” Buffy tried not to sound exasperated. Giles noted that, and knew that it wasn’t going to get any better, from what he was about to say. In fact, her exasperation would grow worse....much...much worse.
“Buffy.” Giles started. “There’s something I want to talk to you about, that’s rather important.” Buffy laughed.
“Don’t worry Giles. I already know about the birds and the bees.” Giles was confused, but smiled and played along anyway.
“Yes, well they are feisty little creatures. I wanted to make sure.” Giles chuckled, and then abruptly stopped upon seeing the look on Buffy’s face. He cleared his throat uncomfortably.
“Yes, well anyway. This is not about animals. Th-This is about you. You as a slayer. Buffy it is imperative that you tell me what went on the night you almost died. Buffy sat up uncomfortably.
“Giles, I *am* *not* going to talk about that.” Buffy resisted. Giles sighed audibly.
“Buffy.” He took of his glasses, and pinched the bridge of his nose. “Listen to me. Do you remember last year, when a vampire reversed your stake, and stabbed you in the stomach with it? And then that led to the whole fiasco of you going to Spike for help....” Giles shook his head to clear it of the memories. “I need to know what happened.”
“NO.” Buffy said more sternly this time. “I’m not going to go over how I almost died! I mean, don’t you think it’s a little traumatic when someone almost dies?” Buffy said.
“Now in all fairness Buffy. You’ve already died twice. And I haven’t gotten to talk you about any of those experiences either. What you have to say could help any future slayers.”
“Oh! Oh! So what, since I died twice, I should just be magically over it now, and be able to freely explain the thoughts that went through my head when I thought I was going to die? That’s morbid Giles. I’m not going over it. I don‘t know what I thought Giles. It‘s a slayer thing- a thing of the slayer. I guess I didn‘t really have anyone to-.” Buffy sighed. “That could be part of it.” She said, not wanting to tell him any more than what she already had.
“But you used to have-”
“But he left Giles!” Buffy shouted, not wanting to bring back painful memories about Riley.
“Alright. Look. I know, and understand that having people like that around you help you fight easier. But-” She cut him off again.
“What do you mean by that?” Buffy asked.
“Well, all the other slayers that I’ve heard of, didn’t have anyone. Do you remember Kendra, and how she was trained?” Giles tone of voice suggested that he was trying to give Buffy an answer that wouldn’t make her scream. “She was taught that, that alone was better. She was able to connect with, well, I’m reluctant to say, her dark side. And that helped her for a while, but eventually it ate her up.....” Giles trailed off. “ Look, Buffy I just want to prevent that from happening to you. The way you fight is quite different then all the past slayers. But if you cut yourself off, you begin to subconsciously depend on that darkness. ” Buffy stared in shock. She hoped she was actually looking at him. Shocked mainly, because Spike had told her the same thing. But then there was that thing were Giles told her she had a demon side. And while half of her knew that was probably true, she was still livid.
“My *What?*” Buffy asked in a barely controlled tone. Giles knew he struck a nerve.
“Now Buffy don’t get angry every Slayer has one.” He had his hands up, trying to reason with her.
“Not. Me. I don’t have one. I. Do. Not. Have a dark side Giles. I am a slayer. I kill demons.”
“Buffy your over analyzing this. Just please listen to me and hear me out, because you don’t seem to understand. This was how she was first brought about. This was how the First slayer was made. They combined her with a demon essence. They gave her the strengths of a demon-of-of a vampire it seems. And that side of you, well it‘s never really been part of you. But your missing something, though I don’t know what. That is why I need to know what went on through your head before you died. It might give me an inclination of what your being deprived of. Though I don’t know what, you are cutting yourself off from something. One day.......One day my dear girl, that deprivation will get you killed.”
****************
Buffy listened for the rumblings of Giles’ car. When she could no longer hear them, she jumped off the couch.
“Whoa! Where do you think your going? Do you need some help?” Dawn asked. Buffy walked into the entry way and grabbed her coat.
“I’m going to take a walk to calm down. It’s daytime, I’m safe, don’t worry Dawnie. Besides I need to go get my coat from Spike’s anyway. Do you see this one?” She held up the spare coat. “It isn’t the one I like. The one I like is at Spike’s. Don’t worry. I’ll be back in about 45 minutes.” Buffy walked out the door.
“Buffy wait! Please?” Dawn called out after her. Buffy turned around with an expectant look on her face.
“Umm Buffy?” Dawn said in a small voice. “I’m a little more to your left.” Buffy turned a little more so she was actually looking at her sister, even though she still couldn’t see her. “I don’t think you going out is such a good idea. Especially alone and without help. I don’t think it’s safe.” Dawn said. “I-I mean, you know with you being blind and all.” Buffy’s mouth was agape.
“What about me being the slayer? Did we overlook that?!” Buffy called out. “I’ll be back. Like I said.” Buffy turned to leave. Dawn stepped off the porch, and ran in front of Buffy.
“Buffy, I was told not to let you out of the house alone. Th-they just don’t think it’s safe.” Even though she couldn’t see it, she could really hear how worried Dawn was.
“Dawnie. I promise I’ll be back soon. Don’t worry about me. I’m going to Spike’s. It’s a short walk there. Nothing will happen to me okay? Look, I know that you guys only want me to be safe, but I feel like I’m being suffocated with all the hugs and attention. Just please let me go on this walk, and relax alone?” Buffy asked. Dawn hesitated.
“Alright. Fine. But just please hurry back.” Dawn said. Buffy smiled.
“I will.”
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Sorry that took so long guys....Hopefully your still reading it!!!





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