Getting Ahead of Myself
by sailor80
Eighteen
[reviews]
Willow frowned as she read the screen. She had been following links for hours, each bringing her incrementally closer to her goal and a blinding headache. Her back ached, despite regular stretches, and the baby had been kicking and punching like Buffy in the middle of a vampire ambush.
She couldn't remember how she reached this site, and automatically bookmarked it before getting too deep into it. Halfway down the screen, she saw the first reference to "The Beast," and continued to scroll through to the end of the page. Willow paged up to the beginning of the page and read again. It sounded fantastical even to her Hellmouth-jaded ears. Knights who sought to destroy the Beast and all who surrounded her, a mystical Key sought by both parties, and a most horrible end to the world should the Knights (who say Ni, her brain added with a giggle) fail.
Willow pushed away from the desk and stood up. She rubbed her back tiredly and trudged to the bathroom for the third time that hour. 'I'll be glad when you get here,' she thought while pulling the door closed.
Buffy was waiting when she came out. "I brought you a sandwich," Buffy offered.
"Thanks." Willow sat on the bed. Buffy helped her scoot back before handing her the plate and settling near her.
"Find anything?"
"Not sure." Willow took a bite of the sandwich. Buffy realized she hadn't brought a drink, then saw a glass on the desk near the laptop and hopped up to bring it to Willow. She held it, waiting for Willow to ask, her other hand resting on Willow's belly. Every time the baby pushed against her hand, Buffy smiled goofily.
When Willow finished eating, Buffy put her plate and glass aside, and moved behind Willow. She worked on the small of her back, encouraged to continue by Willow's happy hum and forward lean. The phone rang, and she let it go in favor of working her way up Willow's back. Buffy's strong fingers relaxed Willow's shoulders and neck before moving down her arms. Willow leaned back against her, and they sat with each other, Buffy's hands over Willow's on her stomach, Buffy's lips leaving random caresses on Willow's neck and cheek.
They looked up at the knock that interrupted them. Faith stood in the doorway. "That was Giles. He wants to see all of us ASAP."
"We'll be there in a minute," Buffy answered for both of them. Faith went away, but neither of them moved. Buffy heard Tara and Faith moving around downstairs and sighed. "Duty calls."
"All right." Willow pushed herself toward the edge of the bed. She grunted and got to her feet, then walked to the bathroom, grumbling under her breath.
Half an hour later, Giles' dining room was full. Two large young men were securely tied to chairs. They were sullen and silent, and more than a little embarrassed at being defeated by two teenage girls and a middle-aged Watcher. Buffy, Faith, Tara, and Willow were arrayed around the table while Giles paced angrily.
He stopped behind the men, tapped one on the shoulder, and barked, "Tell them." When he didn't begin speaking, Giles twisted his ear viciously. "Tell them," he repeated.
"The Council sent us," he mumbled. Giles twisted his ear again, he made a noise. "We're supposed to kill you. But it's supposed to look like a vampire attack." He didn't raise his eyes from his lap.
"Why?" Giles snapped.
"So the Council can take over the Hellmouth."
"What?" Buffy and Faith exclaimed together.
"Travers believes he can control the Hellmouth," Giles said.
"That sounds like a phenomenally bad idea," Tara said.
"That's an understatement," Willow said wryly.
"Tell them all of it, or you won't be able to use either hand," Giles said icily.
"But," the second one protested, and squeaked when Giles swiftly grasped and bent his pinky finger back until it was parallel to his hand. "Travers wants to get rid of all the Slayers and deal with the demons," he said in a rush.
"All of the Slayers?" Willow asked.
"There's never been just one. They told you that to coerce you into doing their bidding," Giles said calmly. "There are half a dozen active across the planet at any time. Tell them the rest."
"He wants the child. To bargain with."
"Enough," Buffy snapped. She got up and began pacing. "How many of you are there and where are they?"
"Two others in Sunnydale, at the Hilton, room 112." Giles said. "Two more in Los Angeles, keeping an eye on Angel."
Faith got up immediately. "On it."
"You'll need this." Giles flipped a key card in her direction and Faith pulled it from mid-air. "I called Angel. His team will take care of the others."
Faith nodded and left. Giles turned back to the women. "These fine gentlemen have called Quentin Travers to report a problem. Mr. Travers will arrive at 4 a.m. local time."
Buffy's smile was far from friendly. She turned to Tara. "Put them to sleep so we won't have to worry about them."
Tara looked from Buffy to Giles to the men. Finally she nodded and said a few words, and their heads dropped.
"Thank you," Buffy said, her tone gentler. To Giles, she said, "I think we need to find our 'friends' and have a chat. Travers should have a greeting party, don't you think?"
Giles smiled grimly. "Just what I was thinking," he answered.
Buffy turned to Willow and bent down to her. "I need you to go home."
Willow thought about protesting, then thought better. "Be careful," she said, and kissed Buffy's cheek. Buffy turned and caught her lips for a long caress before helping Willow to her feet. Tara stood automatically, and Buffy turned to her. "Make sure they're safe, and come back here. I think we'll need your help."
"Are you sure this is the best thing to do?" Tara asked cautiously.
"If you have a better idea," Buffy started, and Tara shook her head.
Tara and Willow walked back to Revello Drive as quickly as they could. Tara hurried upstairs and gathered a few things she thought might be useful. Willow stopped her before Tara slipped out the door. "I know they won't think of it, so you please
check in every few hours?" Willow asked.
"Sh-sure," Tara answered.
"Thanks."
Tara smiled and left. Willow went upstairs to research. She hoped it would distract her, but between worrying about Buffy and her persistent backache, she wasn't sure it would work. Before going to her room, she tapped lightly on Joyce's door. When she didn't get an answer, she opened it just enough to peek at the bed. It was empty, and Willow went to the nursery. It was empty, too, but out the windows, she saw Joyce relaxing in the yard. After yet another bathroom stop, she returned to the computer.
True to her word, Tara called three hours later. "We're going to be a while," she told Willow.
"What's a while?"
"Probably all night," Tara admitted. "Buffy was gone when I got back, but she and Faith came back with the other two Council guys not too long ago, and then they went out again."
"They haven't been here," Willow said. She rubbed her lower back. "I'll let Joyce know it's just us tonight."
"I'll call again later."
"Thanks, Tara."
Willow was surprised when Tara and the Slayers returned home just before 11 p.m. Buffy closed the door when she entered their room.
"You all right?" Willow asked. She pushed herself up.
"Tired," Buffy answered. She wrapped her arms around Willow and kissed her cheek.
"What's going on?"
Buffy led them toward the bed. "Nothing right now. The Council guys are locked up in the sewers. Travers will be here later tonight, and he'll be greeted by some very angry vampires."
"You sure that's a good idea?" Willow asked while lowering herself to the bed.
"Turnaround's fair play. How are you feeling?" Buffy changed the subject while they got themselves settled.
"Tired," Willow admitted. "I just want her to get here."
Buffy smiled and rubbed her stomach. "Soon," she said.
"I know," Willow sighed.
"Look on the bright side, Will, you'll be able to go back to school in September."
"You mean we'll be able to go back to school."
"Yup," Buffy agreed, and yawned. "Love you," she murmured, and slipped into sleep.
"Two wrongs don't make a right," Tara insisted.
"I didn't say they did," Faith protested.
"That's how you're acting, like doing something to them is fair."
Faith set her boots aside and sighed. She sat on the bed before answering Tara. "Nothing's fair about any of it. I didn't ask to be a slayer. B didn't ask for it. But we are. Do you know what they did to B? What they'd do to me if they could get me?" Faith stood up and began to pace. "The Council's idea of a test is to drug you out of your powers and turn a psycho vampire loose on you. Happy freakin' birthday, huh? I don't see any other way. If we don't stop them, they'll kill us." She stopped in front of Tara. "And I'm not ready to die. You ready for me to die?"
"No."
"Those are the options, our lives or theirs." Faith reached between them and pushed Tara's hair off her face. She lowered her hand to Tara's shoulder.
Tara stepped to close the space between them. "I don't like it," she said softly, "but I like the alternatives less." She kissed Faith, and for the next few minutes, they stood near their bed, kissing, until Faith pulled away and tried to suppress a yawn.
Tara smiled, and let go, and they got into their sleep clothes. Faith turned out the light before climbing into bed and pulling Tara close.