FIC: Royalty: Chapter 11 (Inner Fires: Elisabeth Anne Summers)

["cilia" <cilia@xxxxxxxxx>]

Hello all....

Here's chapter 11, now if this comes of a bit strange don't worry I've got
a the flu and my mind isn't all there right now <g>

Buffy goes to someone she's not talked to in a while...
Royalty
By: Stefan Cilia


Chapter 11: Inner Fires: Elisabeth Anne Summers

"Last time I checked." Buffy said. Well Spike's seems to have things under
control. She thought.
"You should be in bed." Spike said running up to support her.
"No can do and you called be Buffy." She said with a weak smile.
"Well circumstances." Spike muttered and looked up at Luna.
"Sorry, Elisabeth, Luna, Luna, Elisabeth." Spike said as he steered Buffy
into a empty room.
"Luna would you be so kind as to tell the council to start without me?" He
asked.
"Of course regent prince." Luna said with a nod and left.
She seems nice. Buffy thought.
"So you're a prince now?" Buffy asked.
"Until Daniel gets back. Buffy why are you here and where are Xander and
June?"
"June is fixing dinner and Xander well."
"There you are!" Xander exclaimed as he limped through the door supporting
himself on his staff.
"He kind of got in the way." Buffy finished.
"She wanted to run of and find Willow." Xander explained as he allowed
himself to fall onto a sofa.
I don't need their help. Buffy thought.
"Well I'm still going to." She said firmly
"Look at yourself Slayer. You can't barely stand and what do you plan to do
when you find her."
"Tell her that I forgive her." Buffy said, tears welling up again. I do, no
matter of hard I try I just can't hate her. She thought.
"You what?" Xander asked, but got waved down by Spike.
"Elisabeth look at me." He said, but she didn't look. "Look at me god damn
it."
Buffy looked up.
"I know she hurt you and I know that you love her. But I beg you if not as
your friend then as your ally. To think about what you're about to do?"
"I." Damn it why did he have to become Mr. Sensitive-know-it-all all of
sudden. Buffy thought.
"You don't know do you?" Spike said.
"Buffy loves Willow that's old news." Xander said frustrated, stroking his
forehead checking for blood.
"Why you." Buffy said as she pushed passed Spike. Xander just looked up at
her with calm eyes.
"What? It's pretty freaking obvious that you do. You actually think I'm that
naïve, that I wouldn't notice something like that?" Xander asked.
Buffy's face fell. They know, they all know.
"Face it Buffy, your friends grew up." Xander stated as he stood up.
"He's right Elisabeth, I mean look at him." Spike said and turned his gaze
towards Xander, where he was folding his bo-staff together.
"Why don't you go somewhere and think." Spike suggested. "Get your head
together, because right now you're not thinking straight. I mean you just
beat up one of your friends for what reason?"
"I guess you've got a point." Buffy said wiping away the tears.
"Of course I do. Now I have to get back to the meeting, but I'm not leaving
you alone." Spike said and turned to Xander. "Xander keep an eye on her.
Take her wherever she wants to go." Spike said and threw a pair of keys and
a money-clip to Xander. "Take the Jaguar outside. Just keep an eye on her."
"Spike you really don't..." Buffy began.
"Like I said: I'm not going leave you alone to wallow. That's soulboys style
not yours" Spike said firmly. "Now go and get cleaned up and Xander I'm
counting on you." Spike said and walked out of the room.
"Wow!" Xander exclaimed.
"Help me back to my room?" Buffy asked as she reached out her hands.

I really wished I had time to help her, but I must keep the clans together.
Well Xander is a grown man. He'll do fine. Can't believe I just said that. I
'm going soft. Spike thought as he marched into the conference hall.

"Where is Elisabeth?" June asked as she placed a tray on the table.
"Taking a shower." Xander said looking up from an Anne Rice novel.
"I'll just lay out some clean clothes for her then." June said and went to
the armory.
"She wears those?" Xander asked as June laid a suit and coat on the bed.

I never knew. Buffy thought as the water hit her. Everybody grown up. Xander
held out for almost ten minutes in no holding back fight. What do I do now?
I mean Xander won't let me out his sight, Spike is all bossy and Giles is
somewhere beating the pulp out off the undead population looking for Daniel.
She stepped out of the shower and noticed the cross on the counter. No I
couldn't, why should I, then again it's not like I have allot of choice. I
can't talk to Xander about this.

Buffy peaked her head out of the bathroom door.
"Xander you mind waiting outside?" She said and Xander just nodded and
stepped outside carefully closing the door behind him.
Now first get dressed. She thought and looked down at the suit, it wasn't
the standard black one she'd grown used to, instead June had laid out a blue
one..
Change is good. She thought dressed, when she pulled on the jacket her eyes
drifted to the crystal tear on the nightstand.
She carefully picked it up and looked into it. The night when Willow had
given it to her came back to her. She gripped the tear as a real one ran
down her cheek. She shut her eyes and stuffed it into her pocket. Then she
pulled a suitcase from underneath the bed.
Always be prepared. She thought as she drew out old fashion stake covered
with carvings, she'd taken it the night Willow had saved her and a slim
sword. Cut it out. She reminded herself as more pictures floated into her
mind.

"Take me to a church." She said to Xander as she slit into the Jaguar.
"A church?" Xander asked.
"Yes Xander a church and please don't ask why."
"I won't." Xander said as the car moved down the driveway.
After a silent drive they pulled up outside an old church. Saints looked
down from their perches and above gargoyles looked down over the city. Above
the door something was written in Latin. A circular stoned window rested
above the door.
"Wait here." Buffy ordered.
"Buffy." Xander began.
"I'll be back, I promise." She said and slipped out of the car. Xander
sighed and picked up the book.


She pushed open the heavy wooden door. The church was empty, the were
candles seemingly everywhere, she walked down the aisle as her shadow danced
on the walls and columns. The eyes of the saints on the statues and
paintings seemingly to following her. She came to a stop on the steps
leading up the altar. Here goes nothing. She thought as she fell to her
knees.
"I know I haven't talked much to you before, but I just." She whispered and
looked up at the crucifix. ".I mean I fight for the world all the time and I
just need. Well I need to get some things of my chest." She said with a
small smile. "You must think I'm the biggest hypocrite right now. I mean you
being the last one I turn to, but I'm afraid. truly afraid right now. I mean
I just found out that I'm in love with my best friend. but you probably
think that's wrong too, I mean I'm not stupid I know the church has some
mixed feelings about." Buffy paused and then went on. ". about gays.." There
I admitted it. She thought to herself. "I know it's asking much but could
you please look out for my friends, just keep them save. I know they don't
need me as much as they once did. But would you please just keep the save
for all the times I've saved your creation. I'd think you owe that much."
Buffy stopped as she felt a hand on her shoulder.