One Last Shot
by Whedonist
Chapter 20
[reviews]
Chapter 20
Willow was currently sitting at the library going over a map of the city and a few old books she unearthed in the forgotten occult section of the building. She had made little headway in the last three days her and Buffy had been at Jimmy's. She had finally been able to track down some reference of a spell and a prophecy that involved "the original slayer". What she wasn't sure about was the original slayer bit. The prophecy at best was vague and spotty. Sighing she shut the book and rubbed at her eyes. She needed Dawn. Picking up her phone she texted the girl and hoped for a quick response.
Thrity minutes later she was sitting with Dawn and Kennedy going over what she had found. Dawn grabbed the book and lost herself in the archaic language. Kennedy cleaned her fingernails and looked supremely bored. Willow gave Kennedy a smile and went back to her own research. An hour later Dawn was mumbling and shaking her head.
"Willow," she whispered, "this isn't a current prophecy. From what I can make out, this has to do with the spell you guys invoked to defeat Adam. Something about the after effects of the spell. I think maybe you guys weren't supposed be alive after that wore off."
"Uh?"
"Will see, here," Dawn pointed to specific references to five people and then moved further along in the passage, "you guys were supposed to be killed by the first slayer."
Willow blew her bangs out of her face and huffed, "Great I wonder how many prophecies there are that say we should all be dead? Okay well then it's back to the drawing board. Thanks Dawnie."
"You want us to stay and help?"
"Sure you can keep looking through that one. I've got a good stack. How are things at the house?"
"Okay I guess. Xander's been moping around like someone killed his puppy and Faith's had him sleeping on the couch for the past two nights."
"And you?"
Dawn shrugged, "Ok I guess. It's not like Buffy's never ran away before. It's just she usually doesn't take you with her."
"Dawnie that's not fair."
"Why isn't? I mean we both lost our mom, but she didn't have to stick around while she was dead, again. It's like I'm the biggest after thought in her life."
"That's not true. Buffy loves you. Hell most of the stuff she's done was because of you."
"It's easy for you to say that, but I don't believe it."
"You two seriously need to have a talk."
Kennedy sat and heard enough of, "Willow why? Why do you always defend her? Even when she's wrong you are backing her up. She's neglected Dawn for as long as I've been around and if the past two and half years were any indication Dawn's got every right to be upset."
"Kennedy stay out of this." Willow warned.
In order to avoid a blow out Dawn sent pleading eyes to the slayer. Kennedy wisened up and sat back in the chair.
"Wills, you've never been the most unbiased person to talk to about Buffy and I appreciate that, but I'll work it out with her, okay?"
"Fine, but promise it will be soon."
"Sure thing. Research?" Dawn lifted up the book.
"Yeah yeah."
************************************************************
"Hey old man, what's got you in a huff?"
Buffy walked back from the restroom and sat across from her partner. Things had been slow going on any of the trace evidence pulled from the bodies and despite the rush orders they had on everything, nothing was coming back.
Jimmy glanced up from the computer, "Nothin, just got off the phone with vic 3's family. Let's just say that that was a conversation I choose never to have again. So blondie where we at?"
"Nowhere with a side of jack."
Jimmy waved her in closer. He had been mulling over the circumstances of these cases since the second vic showed up. "I don't want to start shouting witch or anything, but I kinda am. I mean since these girls obviously have something to do with you and your family and since your family is uh special. What's to say that whoever's doin' this isn't uh a witch?"
"There aren't markings on the bodies Jim, there is no ritualistic feel to these killings. Besides I just don't get the spidey tingles when I go to a scene."
"Spidey tingles?"
"Slayer thing. It just seems like that whoever's doin' this is wanting to get my attention not be all witchy. Also, Willow would have told us if there were magicks involved; she's way better at picking up on them then me."
"We both agree that the kill site is different. These alleys are only dumpsites. That means that there may be rituals or whatever that you don't know about."
She leaned on the corner of his desk and sighed. What he said was logical, but it just didn't sit well with Buffy. "Okay so let's say these killings are part of some ritual. Now, before you go all I told you so on me. I'm just playing the devil's advocate. Why? What type of ritual and why bring me in on it. I'm not sure if we've made this clear, but eh, I'm the last person you want cranky at you. Especially if you're not human, kinda gives me the green light to slice and dice."
"Who's to say they're not human?"
"Uh, glimmer man?"
"Can't your girl do that?"
"Yeah, but Will ain't...she's more than human."
"What the fuck does that mean cupcake?"
"It's kinda a long story."
Jimmy looked at his watch and thought now was a good time for lunch. "'S alright, it's lunch anyhow and I got time. My treat let's go."
Buffy huffed and followed her partner out of the building. It was going to be a long afternoon.
************************************************************
"...so see Wills isn't not human, but she's like human plus. Kinda like me." Buffy finished off the tall tale of Willow Rosenberg and hoped for only mild freakage on her partner's behalf. He sat through most if like he did when she told him about slayers and vampires, but this time he looked a little more frightened. Like he was expecting some type of explosion. "Jimmy I know it's kinda a lot to take in, but it's really no different than what I am. She's just more in tune with nature." Buffy offered lamely.
"So let me try this on for size. Red got into magic's to help you out with your duty or whatever. She brought you back from the dead which spiraled into some type of addiction and then her lover gets shot and she tries to end the world after flaying a guy alive?"
"Ah yeah in a nut shell."
"So since she went off the mojo wagon, she's been like super witch?"
"No, I mean she did do that spell that created a whole mess of slayer's, but she's doing the normal person thing."
"Cupcake she ain't normal and neither are you for that matter."
"I...we know that, but we're trying for normal. We want to be like Clark Kent. We need some average joe downtime. I did mention that we invented the plural of apocalypse. I wanted a break or really a retirement from that. There are other's to do that duty."
"Yeah, but, I mean ok I accepted the whole slayer, vamp thing with barely any questions, but this, you have seen her right? Petite, red hair, about 5'4, cute with an impish grin, I don't think she could harm a kitty let alone do what your tellin' me she did."
"Would you believe me if she told you herself?"
"Dunno."
Buffy removed her cell from her pocket and sent a message to Willow. A minute later her phone rang.
"What's up Buff?"
"The old man and I have been talking and he seems to think that these girls are being killed by a witch or he's not really convinced, but he's just throwing out some ideas. I told him that if that where the case then you would have said something by now. To make a longer story even slightly more long, I had to tell him about you being witchy than the average witch. He doesn't believe me."
"Oh. Ok, so what do you want me to do about it?"
"Uh convince him?"
"Tonight. Pick me up at the library. I'll convince him over dinner."
"K. See you in a few hours." Buffy disconnected and turned back to her partner, "We need to pick Will up at the library before we head back to the house."
"And the convincing will come when?'
"Over dinner."
"Huh, hey cupcake uh, I don't mean to be nosy or nothin', but eh have you talked to anyone else besides Faith?"
"No. I'm not ready to deal with them yet.".
"Look, kid I...take it from someone who knows, don't let shit sit between you and your family. You need to have a sit down with them. Why don't you knock off and go back to your apartment. I'll cover for ya and pick you up at 4 or 5?"
"Jimmy thanks, but it's not the right time."
"The right time's gonna be when? When you're dead, er ah again or when they are? We don't know what this unsub's intentions are and with you doin' what you used to do how can you not see that time is what they say of the essence. If ALL yunz guys get through this and you just let it sit, no good will come of it." Jimmy looked down and stared at his coffee.
"You sound like your speaking from personal experience. You want to share?"
"No, but I know I got some talkin' to do of my own."
"No fair old man. Spill. I'll show you mine if you show me yours." Buffy sat back and waited. There was resistance to not tell him anything, but she realized that would have been a mistake. He'd been nothing but a friend and ally through everything and knew that he would continue to be when this was all over.
"I got two kids from my first marriage. One, Susan, she's gonna be 28 next month, and a boy, Jimmy Jr. He's 24. Ya' ever say sompin' ya know and wish that you could take it back? I mean the damage is done and even when you know you're wrong you can't seem to find the words to make it right? Well Jim he came to me 'bout 3 years ago. Said that he, well he came out to me. I lost it. Said some shit I ain't real proud of, but ya gotta understand. Kids like that got the snot beat of 'em. They didn't last long in my neighborhood and 'sides the fact that you grow up Irish Catholic you get a one way ticket to hell for bein' the way he is. Well to make it short, I said some shit I shouldn't a said. Now Susie or Jim won't talk to me, which I mean at the time I got 'cuz if you thought Nate was a prick about it, I was way worse."
Buffy listened as her partner told his story and was rocked. He had been so accepting of Willow and her that she didn't think that he would do something like that.
"So," he said loosening his tie, "when I tell you that you should talk to your family, I'm serious. It ain't no fun not having 'em with you."
"Jim," Buffy grabbed his meaty hand, "thank you." She looked at him and stood to give him a hug.
Uncomfortable as he was he let the girl embrace him, "Now cupcake what would your girl say if she saw you in the arms of another?"
"Depends," Buffy let go and eyed the older man, "she either might ask to join or try and kill you."
Buffy smiled and winked.
"Ya know that ain't very nice. If what you say is true about Red then, uh, she's kinda scary."
"Just don't make her cranky."
"Check no cranky redhead. So you gonna go talk to your family or not?"
"Any way I can get out of it?"
"No."
"Then yeah. I'll see you at the apartment at 5."
"Will do."
Buffy got up and was walking towards the door, "Old man, call your kids. Find something to say to them. Invite them to dinner tonight. Maybe Will and I can do something about smoothing things over. I'd like to help."
"Maybe I will kid. Get goin'."
Buffy smiled and turned towards the door. The coffee shop was only six blocks down from her place. Deciding to walk and clear her head, she turned right and made her way home.
She turned right on Madison and continued her way north. Thinking back on the years with the people currently occupying her apartment she still had no idea what to say to them.
Sure, I can get some of the anger, but what do they expect? What do they want from me? I can't be everything to them and I can't continue to lie to them just to make things less tense. What do I want from them? I want...I want them to leave me be. I want to go to work like a normal person, share my life the with the person I love and die in bed surrounded by fat grandchildren.. Ok so maybe not grandkids, 'cuz that would mean that I would have to have kids and well that thought causes major wiggins. So no grandkids, maybe some nieces or nephews and Willow in bed with me. We could die together. It'll be romantic. Slayer, back on track. What are we gonna say to our family?
Buffy let out a huff and shook her head. Looking up she saw she was at her apartment building.
"Great just great. Can the world open up and swallow me whole now?" Buffy grumbled as the doorman let her in.