FIC: TT&T (Chapter 11: Surprise!)

["cilia" <cilia@xxxxxxxxx>]

Hey all!

Still setting things up, but it's surprise time...
1. Who's at the top of the temple
2. What's Anya doing in NY
3. Buffy is sick!
4. Cordelia tries to get her head straight

Enjoy!

Stefan Cilia

Through Thick and Thin
Cilia

Chapter 11: Surprise!

Spike stood at the top of the Temple of the Sun and gaped. Czar studied the
figure in front of them, while Joyce just smiled.
"Hello William." Luna said.
"Luna?" Spike asked.
"Surprised?" She said.
"Somewhat, but not completely."
"Then you're not mad?"
"No." Spike shrugged.
"Are you going to introduce me then?"
"Of course luv. This is Czar an old friend from the Old World and this is
Ms. Joyce Summers, Elisabeth's mum."
"It's an honor." Luna said and shook Joyce's hand.
"No I'm honored. Spike told me that you took care of my daughter during a
fight. I'm happy for the chance to say thank you." Joyce answered.
"So you're the one who tamed him?" Czar asked as he extended his hand.
"I do not take the entire credit, but I had a part." Luna answered and shook
the massive hand.
"Well let's dig around and see what we come up with." Joyce said started
looking around.


* * * * *

"Anya?" Al'x asked looking genuinely surprised for the first time since
arriving back on this realm.
"Hello Xander you look different." Anya said. "Hi Angel." She then added.
"It's been a while." Al'x stated regaining his composure.
"Several years by the look of things." Anya stated.
"What brings you to the Big Apple?" Angel asked.
"Europe got boring after a while and then I ran into Giles in France and he
said he was going back home, so I thought I should follow. So here I am.
What bring you two here?"
"We're hunting demons." Angel explained.
"Interesting might if I tag along." Anya asked.
Angel looked and Al'x and he looked back at Angel, both men shrugged.
"Why not." Al'x said with a gesture of a hand.
"Someone with an experience could be useful." Angel stated.
"Great so I'm in right?"
"I think there is room in the suite for one more." Angel said.
"You got a suite?" Anya asked and both men visibly shrug.



* * * * *

Buffy stumbled out of the bathroom looking rather pale.
"Buffy what's wrong?" Willow asked as she rolled out of bed and helped guide
Buffy.
"Don't know. I feel sick." Buffy said and lay down on the bed
"But you never get sick, I mean unless it's magic, but I'm not sensing any
and then there is always the possibility of poison, but you haven't been in
action and then again."
"Willow honey babble alert." Buffy said with a weak smile.
"You just lie back then and let your Wills take of you then." Willow said as
she helped Buffy get comfortable.
"Don't worry Wills. Even Slayers are bound to get sick sometimes." Buffy
reassured her companion.
"I'll fix us some breakfast and check up on the gang." Willow said. "Be
right back." She added, kissed Buffy's forehead and left.

"Wesley I need you to look something up for me." Willow said as she came
downstairs.
"What is it?" The Watcher asked.
"Buffy's sick." She explained simply.
"Slayers don't get sick." He stated.
"Well Buffy is. She threw up this morning, she's looking pale and seems to
have lost her appetite somewhat."
"I'll get right on it." He said and started pulling books from the shelves.
"Is Faith back?" Willow asked from the kitchen.
"She rang and said she'd be in town by sundown." Wesley answered from the
latter.
"I see she's developed common sense in our absence." Willow said as the eggs
floated from the refrigerator.
"What about Stjar'a and Cordelia?" Willow asked as the eggs broke and began
to scramble on the pan.
"Cordelia and Stjar'a left early this morning." Wesley answered.
"Did they say where to?"
"Something about training in nature." Wesley answered.
"Interesting, but then again Stjar'a is an elf." Willow muttered as the
breakfast arranged itself on a hovering tray.

"Felling better?" Willow asked as the tray floated in a head of her.
"A little." Buffy answered and placed the TV-remote on the nightstand.
"Brought you some breakfast."
"I can see that." Buffy said and the laughed and little.
"The Birdcage." She explained and pointed at the TV.
Willow crawled into bed next to Buffy.
"Stay!" She ordered and pointed at the tray.
"So anything new on the western front?" Buffy asked as she sipped her tea.
"Faith is heading back into town, presumably with Giles in tow." Willow said
as she smeared mustard on her toast.
"You smear, men smear." The words of Robin Williams sounded from the
television and both women laughed.
"Stjar'a took Cordelia out into nature to train." She said after they'd
finished.
"Going for the home field advantage then." Buffy stated.
"What makes you things she doesn't just want a change of scenery?" Willow
asked curiously.
"She's Al'x protégé and therefore a warrior first and foremost." Buffy
explained.
"Tactical thinking." Willow said.
"Precisely." Buffy exclaimed.
"You're cute when you're acting all smart you know." Willow said.
"Oh am I really."
"Leave!" Willow ordered the tray with a smile.


* * * * *
"Got you." Cordelia yelled as she swept the legs from underneath Stjar'a.
"That you did." Stjar'a said and pulled Cordelia down as she offered her a
hand.
"Stjar'a?"
"Shhh!" Stjar'a said and kissed her.

Cordelia's eyes flew open. A dream it was just a dream. She lay back down on
the bed.
"Cordy." Stjar'a asked from her side.
"Just had this really weird dream."
"Another nightmare?" Stjar'a asked as a hand made its way down her stomach.
"No not really, that's nice."

"Cordelia wake up!" Stjar'a said and shook her shoulder.
"What, what happened?" Cordelia asked.
"You fell asleep." Stjar'a explained. They were sitting lying under a large
tree, like the one Stjar'a had drawn for her when telling her of her home
realm.
"I'll just wash of then." Cordelia said as she bent down and looked into the
stream that ran by. She looked her reflection and gasped. Her hair was
silver streaked and her ears pointed.
"What's the matter love?" Stjar'a asked in her own langague which she now
understood. Cordelia looked back at her smiling face.

Cordelia woke up again.
"Where am I?" She asked as she looked around.
"Wow! You were really out of it." Stjar'a exclaimed.
"The meditation trance. Right!" Cordelia said remembering how Stjar'a had
instructed her how to focus.
"How long have I been out?" She asked.
"About two hours."
"Stjar'a is it normal to dream when you're in one of these."
"It has been know to happen from time to time. Why did you dream something?"
Stjar'a asked.
"Just bunch of jumbled images that's all." Cordelia said and grabbed her
staff. Disturbing images. She thought. Where they? A voice asked. I'm not
gay! She yelled at the voice.
"Cordy you okay?" Stjar'a asked.
"Fine, just fine. So what's next?"