Reveal
by DawnBTVS
Chapter 5
[reviews]
Disclaimer: All characters belong to Mutant Enemy, Fox, Joss, etc.
Rating: PG or PG-13
Time Frame: Early Season 2 around Some Assembly Required
A/N: Will likely turn more angsty and I'll try and stay somewhat in-canon but don't hold me to that, please.
Xander watched Willow take the seat next to him, glancing at Buffy in a bit of surprise but Buffy merely kept her eyes focused on Giles who was standing by the board, scribbling down a sentence. "The demon that Buffy ran into, o-or slayed as it may be, was a leader of a race of beings thought to solely reside in the barren cold of Russia. From what I could find, its name was Caderyn. Welsh origin meaning battle ruler however there's no mention how they winded up in Russia." Giles turned to the group, eyes flickering up as the doors were pushed open with Cordelia marching in, clearly annoyed at the prospect of joining the group for the news of a new demon in town. "Glad to see you could make it," Giles greeted.
"Yeah, let's celebrate. I'm going shopping shortly so can we move this along?"
"What'd it look like? I'm guessing the wookie look won't be coming into play?"
Buffy shook her head and wrinkled her nose as she flashed back to the event. "Ugly... didn't smell that bad, actually, which should be raising air raid sirens by itself but it was shaggy looking. Think Chewbacca with these horns that spiraled twice in place of any ears and no nose. Oh, and the requisite rows of sharp teeth."
"I'm assuming, battle ruler, that uh, this thing won't be a one slay deal?"
Giles shrugged his shoulders, placing a book on the table in front of Willow who instantly began flipping the pages. "Given that this one is this far from his native habitat, I highly doubt he came astray by himself."
"Of course not. He had to bring a whole family of ugly brothers to maim us all. Happy? You jinxed us," Buffy noted with an 'I told you' look.
Giles spluttered for a couple seconds. "I-I did... no such thing. I was merely requesting that, erm, you be careful when you patrol because you never know when," Giles started but stopped when he got a glare from Buffy.
"You keep wishing like that, Giles, and you'll lose any chance at holding the monkey's paw when we get it."
"Monkey's? Xander, that was a work of fiction and holds no bearing on reality."
Xander wagged an admonishing finger at Giles. "Tsk tsk. You should know the Hellmouth can't separate fact and fiction," Xander said, shaking his head. "Got anything, Will or are you trying to discreetly find the Victoria's Secret catalogue I substituted in one of his books?"
Buffy rolled her eyes as Willow jerked her head up, staring at Xander first in embarrassment before shaking her head. "No. It says here though, that this group of warriors had migrated west from Yakutia towards Moscow over the span of several decades recently, like the late 19th century. So that means they could be older if they moved from England to Yakutia. Part of the migration in Russia may have been due to the warmer weather in Moscow not to mention... hello, population waiting to be feasted on."
"Why are they coming here?"
"I'm not sure. I presume that the energy convergence here has some merit in regards to what is going on but until I can research a bit more..." Giles trailed off. Cordelia sighed, glancing at her watch.
"This is swell but do I really need to be here? You guys do the same thing anyway. A bunch of talk about how such and such is dangerous, gonna kill us all, no idea what to do until several days later when it suddenly clicks when nobody is around and Buffy slays the demon." Cordelia looked around, wondering why everybody was glaring at her. "It's true, isn't it?"
Giles pinched the bridge of his nose. "Go." Cordelia huffed, grabbed her purse, and began walking out as Buffy stared at Willow who continued to remain head buried in the book. Buffy could see Xander sneaking glances at her out of the corner of her eye and finally turned to look at him, mouthing 'what?'
"We talked, Xander," Willow stated, eyes still running over the text on the page. Xander looked at her in surprise, then returned his attention to Buffy who was looking anywhere but at him or Willow.
"Is something," Giles started but got stopped by a small shake of the head from Xander. Buffy and Willow both stared at Giles, glanced at each other, and then diverted their eyes again. Giles nodded, seeing that it certainly involved both Willow and Buffy. "I perused the text Willow is scouring now but I won't hesitate to request that we all utilize as many texts as possible. If these creatures learn its leader has perished... we may not have much time before they descend upon Sunnydale looking for revenge."
Buffy nodded her head. "I'll start my sweep earlier, maybe stop by Willy's and see if he has any information. I can also see if Angel..." Buffy trailed when Willow looked up at Buffy, their eyes meeting for a few moments before Buffy continued, "If Angel has ever heard of them. He's spent time in Europe as a vampire so if they are as old as Will says they are, it's worth a shot."
"And I-I'll keep researching the books. I don't have much homework so I can drop back in later or try to see if there's anything on the web."
"I'll supply the fat free and low sodium munchies," Xander added with a smile at Giles who merely sighed.
"I'm sure that your contribution will not go overlooked, Xander. Right. I'm going to see if Jenny can offer any help but I suggest you three head to your classes or home to your parents if you're done for the day."
Giles began to move around the table but paused and turned to Buffy who nodded her head. "I know. Any Chewbacca-lites appear and I'll call... oh. I'm grounded for the week but Mom never clarified when exactly that would start, um, I'll, uh, contact you somehow," Buffy finished, now flustered, and in deep thought at how to execute such an idea. Giles arched an eyebrow but nodded and moved towards his office.
Willow closed the book, pushing it towards the center of the table as she began to get up. She grabbed her backpack and walked past Xander just as Buffy began to move from the table. Both girls had their heads lowered but Buffy stopped, a second from colliding with the redhead. Willow flailed her arms as Buffy gave a flustered look back, "Sorry," they mumbled simultaneously. Willow briskly walked out of the library as Buffy sighed and glanced at Xander. Xander merely stared back.
"Don't, Xander," Buffy stated, walking off. Xander sighed and grabbed the book, pulling it towards him, and opening to a random page as he began reading.
~~~BTVS~~~
Buffy glanced over her shoulder at her bedroom door, waiting a couple seconds to make sure her mother was still downstairs, before turning her attention back to the figure stepping over the window sill into her room. "Angel, I'm so confused." Angel leaned against the wall as Buffy turned away from him. "When Willow told me... I wasn't repulsed but then I thought of you and I-I don't know, it was like I felt guilty and I hadn't even done anything!"
"Buffy, I understand this is hard on you. I can't say that I know where you're coming from though. As a vampire, we aren't ruled by emotions. The only emotion we feel is raw desire and it has been over a decade since I was placed into any situation that required more than that emotion."
"So when you're with me, you don't?" Buffy asked, a little hurt at the idea that Angel did not feel anything else around her. Angel took a couple steps forward but stopped shy of any physical contact.
"I have a soul, Buffy. I'm still adjusting to how I feel when I'm around you. I've never had to express myself in the past."
"What would you do?"
"I'd listen to what my feelings were telling me."
Buffy exhaled, clearly not liking the answer she received. "Knew that was coming."
"Do you like her?"
Buffy gave Angel an incredulous look. "Of course, she's my best friend but... there are times where I see her strictly as a friend, you know? Like Xander," Buffy said, ignoring Angel's slight scowl at the mention of her other friend, "But there will be other times where it's just us sitting together or something and I'll look at her and um, I-I can see everything. It's like she's been cut in half, okay kinda gross there, but I can view her insecurities and her weaknesses as clearly as I can her strength and determination."
"She's definitely one of a kind. I haven't met anyone else like her, even as a vampire."
Buffy smiled softly. "Only one of her in the world." Angel nodded his head in agreement. "Do you love me?"
Buffy stared at Angel who glanced back, a bit surprised at the suddenness of the question. "You make me feel things I haven't felt in almost a century."
"But you felt them with Darla?"
"Yes."
"You staked her for me though," Buffy reminded him. Angel lowered his eyes to the floor as Buffy winced, wrapping her arms around herself. "I'm sorry I didn't..."
"She sired me, Buffy. She helped curse me and free me with a single bite. What I feel for you, can never match Darla, and nobody will ever reach what she meant to me. You, however, are the best thing I've found since her."
"Thanks," whispered Buffy, stepping towards Angel. She tilted her head up, brushing her lips against Angel's, her hand caressing his cheek. They broke apart as Angel moved back towards the window sill, staring at Buffy with sympathy. Buffy cracked a small smile and stepped towards her bed. "You should go. I have to get up early tomorrow."
Angel nodded. "I'll ask around about the creatures, see if anything's seen or heard anything."
"Okay." Angel slipped out the window, landing on the ground with a soft thump. Buffy sighed and turned to the bed, picking up Mr. Gordo and hugging him to her chest. "Oh, Mr. Gordo. Any chance you can enlighten me?" She asked, staring into his eyes. No response came. "Well, at least you tried," Buffy commented, patting him on the head before climbing into bed, keeping the stuffed pig clutched to her chest.
TBC