Testing a different canon point (post S2)

[consultmybooks]

I'm...well, um, I'm flattered by your interest.

Sorry, did I say "flattered"? I actually meant "irritated". I have more important things to do than dance to your tune. I have someone to find, and a town to keep from falling apart at the seams.

The rest of the worlds...or, um, multiverses, in this case...can look after themselves until I find her.

Besides. I can barely make it to Kentucky. Do you really think I'd survive longer than a few hours in another world? No, don't answer that. I think I know the answer already.

Comments

[bigbad]

...why would anyone want to go to Kentucky? You do know the fried chicken they make's a chain thing, right?

[consultmybooks]

[...stepping a few steps back, now, and trying not to show weakness. Or fear. He's still a bit dinged up, though, and the memories are still a bit hard to deal with.]

I assure you, Spike, fried chicken is the very lowest item on my current list of priorities.

[bigbad]

Right, you're all stuffy and business-like. What's your priority this time? The binding glue come loose in your favourite research book?

[consultmybooks]

[He's also a bit younger. Young enough to remember that it's Spike's fault that Giles more or less sold out the word.

It's left marks.]

Don't be so foolish as to try anything in Sunnydale, just because I happen to be away. It's, it's hardly defenseless, at the moment.

[Okay, that's a blatant bluff - it's got Willow, Xander, Oz, and Cordelia. That's fairly well defenseless.]

[bigbad]

[He did that to save your life, Giles! So that Buffy wouldn't whine about it later! And kissing Drusilla's a lot nicer than being tortured, Spike knows from experience. A LITTLE THANKS WOULD BE NICE.]

Right, cause fear of you would be what kept me out before.

[consultmybooks]

[A shame that the Slayer in question skipped town without ever relaying this particular information.

And no, kissing Drusilla is not a lot nicer than being tortured. At least the chainsaw would have ended it.]

Yes, well. We hadn't noticed you or Drusilla around and about, so fear of something certainly drove you away.

[A shame that the person likely responsible is M.I.A.]

[bigbad]

Your Slayer didn't tell you about our deal?

[consultmybooks]

[...

...one day, Giles will be good at keeping a secret, hiding his feelings. That day is not today.]

We, w-we haven't really had much time for communication, as a matter of fact.

[He just has to remember - Spike is a vampire. Vampires lie.]

[bigbad]

...is she the one in Kentucky? [Oh, he sounds downright gleeful.]

[consultmybooks]

Possibly. [What? A blonde girl facing down a few particularly ugly street toughs got some attention there. It's as likely a possibility as anything.]

Or perhaps she's looking for the both of you.

[bigbad]

She won't find us in Kentucky, I can promise you that.

Plus, we made a deal. She's too bloody heroic to break it.

[consultmybooks]

[...amazingly enough, this news does not upset Giles as much as he thought it would.]

At least you were, um...well, close to home.

[At least it was easy for you to come home.]

wrong place?

[bigbad]

[slay]

Find?

[consultmybooks]

[...

...

...was not expecting that. And, for just a moment, it shows. And then Giles just smiles, in utter relief.]

Y-Yes. Um. Find.

I-I suppose that's, um, suddenly a bit irrelevant, isn't it?

[slay]

Aww, c'mon. You can't just shut me down like that, I mean it, what are we finding? 'Cause. If there's a scavenger hunt? Count me in. Unless we're book-finding. Theeeen maybe call Willow.

[consultmybooks]

[And here Giles remembers that you've been away for three months and have no idea that your friends are defending Sunnydale in your place.

Oh, Buffy.]

Willow and I have been, um...communicating, yes. Otherwise, I'm afraid, she's been rather busy in her own right.

[slay]

"Communicating"? What's with the big disconnect-y? [ she shakes her head. ] Okay, I give. You've got dire face all over, you're acting all scooby-allergic, and that is the single weirdest look you've given me since -- [ she stops. oh. ] ... It's not a what that you're looking for.

[consultmybooks]

Not a "what", no.

[More like a "whom". A petite, blonde, supernaturally powerful "whom" that ran off with just a note left to her mother.

She wasn't terribly happy with Giles about that.]

Buffy...where on Earth have you been?

[slay]

[ she deflates a little, chastised, knowing just how in the wrong she was and not feeling the need to mention that it's been a year since then because, well, he's not exactly accosting her in front of everyone in sunnydale, and he deserves the explanation, and she deserves that exasperated unhappy voice about her leaving. ]

I just ... had to get away for a while. And, I know, it was kind of a long while, b-but I'm back now! And I can't. [ she tightens her lips, swallowing the words. nope. too hard to talk about since angel just left after everything. ] ... Can't we just be glad I am and get back to the norm?

[consultmybooks]

...I am very happy you've returned and would love for things to get back to normal.

Willow and the others...well, um, you m-might have some mending to do, there.

[But, not with Giles. He's used to mending all on his own, for better or worse. And, if it hurts a bit that she's being so evasive, he knows better than to let it show. Besides, it avoids just as many awkward issues on his part, as well as hers'.]

They've, um, they've done great work. In your absence. [He's proud of them, and doesn't quite know what to do with that.] But, um, I-I do think Sunnydale will be better off, for your return.

[slay]

And I want to! I do. The, the mending. I'm totally committed to the mend and the normal and the ... no more runaway-Buffy. Really.

[consultmybooks]

...really?

[Because, on occasion, Buffy...you've made Giles wonder. If you could get out, would you? Will you, one day?

You wouldn't be the first Slayer to do so, although they don't tend to last very long alone.

But, no - she is his Slayer. He has to trust her. He's sure that what happened must have been hard for her. Even if Sunnydale has been hard on all of them in the interim.]

S-So, um...y-you've been well, then?

[slay]

[ the question stings because she knows it's grounded in a certain truth. does she really want to be back doing this? dealing with evil every day, fighting it, getting beaten down, knowing she's only reacting to it and not actually making a dent? no. no, but her responsibility means she has to. and she couldn't stand seeing willow in the kind of pain she did the first time she tried to give up on sunnydale because she was scared. ]

Well's kind of a strong word. Surviving, maybe, would be better. I, um. [ she ducks her head. ] I don't know if I can talk. A-About, where I was, or what happened. It was ... It was just a lot. [ she looks back up at him, eyebrows knitted together with the strain of getting out the words, trying to make him understand. ]

[consultmybooks]

[...that look. Giles looks hastily away so he doesn't have to see that look. His emotions are all in a torn up mess, between indignation that Buffy should abandon all of them and sheer relief that she's home and safe.]

Um, c-can you tell me where you were, at least? I mean, um, I-I did search several states. Like to know, um, which one I missed, at least.

[slay]

[ she hesitates to tell him because it'll only make him feel worse but she nods. ]

Um. L.A., actually. I was ... I was just up in L.A.