Friends and enemies
by Bwriter
part 18
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Part eighteen
Giles was the first to spot Buffy with Xander quickly following suit.
"Buffy?" Xander was at her side in an instant. He knew that she was a Vampire, but he also knew that she had her soul and was still Buffy.
Buffy tried desperately not to cry but failed when Xander's arms came around her and he whispered her name. When he released her, she looked over to her Watcher, the man she considered a father and slowly met his eyes.
Giles wasted no time in taking Xander's place. Buffy openly cried now, basking in the arms of her Watcher. She looked over to Willow to see the same tears flowing from her eyes.
Troy looked from face to face wondering what was going to happen to ruin the moment. The doorbell rang breaking the silence that had settled.
"I'll get it. It's probably the food."
"Food? I'll help." Xander was quick to follow after kissing her girlfriend hello, who laughed at his retreating back.
"I'm sorry, we haven't met have we? I'm Rupert Giles." Giles was the first to break the silence.
"Troy"
"God I'm sorry, Giles this is Troy, he's a friend and Troy this is my Watcher, Rupert Giles."
"Pleasure to meet you." The two men shook heads. Buffy's attention was drawn to the door that Willow had left through and everyone in the room noticed it.
"Buffy might I have a word?"
"Sure Giles." They went into the kitchen and sat on the stools at the breakfast bar.
"How did this happen?" Buffy knew exactly what he was talking about. The wounds were still fresh from Angelus torture, both mentally and physically.
"There was a trap and I was out numbered. I was taken back to his place when he... cut, beat, bled, burnt and r..r..aped me," Buffy had begun gently crying with her story, "when I came too, I was chained up and he was about to bite. When I woke again I was a Vampire, but I was still me. He untied me thinking that we'd rule together and I let him think that for a while. I needed blood, I was too weak to fight him as I was. Luckily he had some in a hospital bag stored in a cooler. I fed and it was like an electric shock travelled through me. The strength that was gone came back to me tenfold. I turned to him and beat him unconscious before killing every Vampire in the building, leaving him for last. He was literally broken into pieces, but it takes a lot to kill my kind. I killed him and here we are now."
Giles had tears running down his face by the time she was finished as did Willow who had been listening at the door. Buffy knew she was there and reached her hand behind her. Giles was confused before he spotted willow walking into the room and taking Buffy into her arms.
He left them too it and went to see the others.
Willow tenderly held Buffy in a tight embrace, her head buried in Buffy's neck and Buffy's buried in hers. Buffy suddenly jerked back and turned so her back was facing Willow.
"Go on out, I'll be there in a sec."
Willow knew both Buffy and her demon very well, and she knew what Buffy had turned away from her. She pulled on Buffy's arm to get her to turn but with no luck so she walked around her and placed her body between Buffy's and the counter, shivering at the closeness between them and remembering the last time Buffy had touched her.
Raising Buffy head she looked into the amber eyes of the Vampire before her before leaning forward to kiss her only to have Buffy jerk back from her touch. Turning hurt eyes to her girlfriend Willow waited for an explanation.
Buffy stepped away from Willow, immediately craving her body and used her control to slip back into her human features.
"Will this can't... we can't... it won't work out between us. Your human and I'm... not." Buffy could hardly get the words out they hurt so much, and she could see they were having the same effect on Willow but she wasn't ready for the words that came from Willow.
"Buffy, we can and we will. There is a lot I need to explain but don't you dare think that for one minute you are breaking up with me. I've lived without you before and I don't want to do it again. Your mine lover, just as I am yours."
With that said Willow left Buffy in the kitchen and went back into the main room with the others. Buffy came out just after and couldn't take her eyes off Willow.
"Giles phone Buffy's mom and tell her to et here, we still have time before she leaves."
"Leaves?" Said Giles.
"Its a long story, one I will explain when everyone is here."
Giles left to go phone Joyce and the others all looked at Willow curiously except from Karen, which Buffy noticed when she paused in her Willow watching.
Jealously stirred within her. Karen knew what it was that Willow was going to say and she never. Buffy got up and walked to the fire place and stared into its emptiness trying to curb her possessive attitude. t rarely worked when willow was concerned.
She felt to arms wrap themselves around her and turned to look at Troy.
"Are you okay?" The question was asked for her ears only.
"This is... it's Willow, she's here and I can touch her and I know that whatever she is going to tell us isn't going to be good and Karen keeps looking at her and then looking away very fast and its pissing me off." The last part was growled and her face slipped. This was noticed by no one but Willow and Troy.
Willow got up and made her way over to them before taking Buffy's hand and leading her into the bedroom.
"What?" Buffy had no idea what Willow was up to.
Willow hoped to God she wasn't about to piss Buffy off and began speaking.
"What you said in the kitchen? You meant that?"
Buffy took a deep breath.
"Yes." It was said with no conviction and Willow knew she was heading in the right direction.
"Fine." Willow turned and walked into the main room to see that Joyce had arrived. All the players were there that needed to be there.
Buffy followed Willow and kept her eyes to the floor only looking up when her mother grabbed her up in a hug and more tears escaped her. Suddenly there was another person in the room. Standing beside Willow was a woman who was beautiful, and she showed too much familiarity with Willow for Buffy's liking.
"You have done well." The Woman paused to look at Buffy, who felt as if she was looking right through her.
"You have changed what needed to be changed but that's not to say something else wont happen. The threat needs to be eliminated. The council needs to be restructured and rebuilt."
"You," the Woman was now addressing Buffy personally, "What you wish to do will hurt both of you. Do not push her way. She has sacrificed much to change the future and at a grate risk. Your souls are entwined as are you destinies. The seven of you, demon, Slayer and human are the only ones standing between this world and hell. The is a prophecy in the Codex that you must get Mr Giles before Traver's does. Trust Wesley to have it sent to you. Willow has changed the prophecy but you need to know what could happen is the Watcher go unchecked."
Turning to Willow the Woman began talking again.
"You heart is pure, this is a rare thing to possess. Always trust in what I told you and you won't stray from the path. I must return now. Be safe and if ever you need me just call me and I will come to you. This is my promise to you."
The Woman was gone leaving the others staring at Willow in confusion. She knew that she was going to have to explain things but she was just too tired to do it now.
"Guys can we do this tomorrow please. I'm beat. Buffy can everybody stay here for the night? I don't want anyone alone right now."
Buffy didn't hesitate with her answer, "of course, there's enough room."
Half an hour later everyone was in the own rooms. Troy and Giles, Xander and Karen and Joyce had her own room. Buffy had given Willow a room near hers but still too far away from Buffy for Willow liking.
"Goodnight." Buffy turned to leave the room and stopped when she heard Willow say goodnight.
Smiling she closed the door softly before whispering, "goodnight my love" and going to her own room.
Willow had not had a good nights sleep. She missed Buffy holding her as she slept and had spent half the night crying.
She went into the kitchen to find Buffy already there and drinking out of a cup full of blood.
"Morning." Buffy turned to face her momentarily forgetting what she was doing. Lowering the cup she stared openly at Willow, not noticing that she had spilt some blood and that it was clinging to her chin.
Willow smiled and walked over before raising her hand and wiping it off with a finger before offering it to Buffy, remembering the last time she had done that very same thing. She expected Buffy to lick is off not step back and hand her a cloth to wipe the blood off. Willow wondered if Buffy was actually planning on sticking to her 'break up' plan. She knew just how much they loved each other and she also knew exactly how possessive her lover was. Still it broke her heart not to have Buffy fully.
She honestly didn't know if she could last much longer.