Chapter Text
Spin, kick, punch, stake. One vampire dusted and the next sprawled on the ground. The third leapt at her with his arms outstretched. She staked him easily and shook her head. Didn't they ever learn? Thank god they didn't, she thought as she turned her attention to the remaining vamp. The sounds of battle continued behind her, but none of her friends had called for help. A good sign.
The vampire crouched in a fighting posture, an ornate dagger in his right hand. Buffy was surprised when he didn't come at her again. He wasn't even looking at her, but seemed to be focused on what was happening behind her.
"What's the matter, afraid of little ol' me?" she taunted. That did the trick. With a roar he ran at her brandishing the knife. A punch in the face stopped his headlong rush. She hissed at a sudden pain in her arm. The knife had grazed her forearm with a shallow cut. Blood dripped from the open wound.
"Oh, that is so not what I need right now!" Contemptuously she pivoted, kicked the knife out of the vamp's hand, and completed the turn to bring the stake up and plunge it into his chest. She let her breath out slowly as the dust settled.
Buffy turned to help her friends, only to see Giles stake the remaining vampire who had Willow pinned on the ground. Xander slowly pushed himself up from the dirt where he had fallen face first after dusting his vampire.
"Everyone all right?" Giles asked as he looked around. He offered his hand to Willow and easily pulled the slight redhead up off the ground.
"Buffy!" Willow cried. "You're bleeding." She turned to the tall man next to her. "Giles, she's bleeding."
"I see it Willow," he said as he covered the short distance to his Slayer. He lifted her arm to examine the cut in the faint moonlight. "What happened?" he asked softly.
Buffy looked up at her Watcher and noticed in a detached way that he seemed to be wavering around the edges. All sort of fuzzy, in fact. "The last vamp had a knife. Guess I got careless and he cut me. It's not that bad. Not deep or anything. Just a little blood." Her voice grew faint as she spoke until she was whispering the last word. She noticed that Giles was wearing his concerned face and wanted to ask him what was wrong, but that was the moment everything chose to go black.
"Buffy!" Giles managed to catch her before she toppled over backwards. Her body was limp and her head lolled back. He scooped her up in his arms. "The wound isn't that bad. She shouldn't have passed out like this. Willow, get the car." Willow took off at a run.
"Where's that bloody knife?" Giles looked around at the ground, praying that the knife had been dropped before Buffy had staked the vampire.
Xander picked up an object half hidden behind a headstone. "This it?" He brought it over to Giles.
Giles took one look at the dagger Xander was holding so negligently and sucked in his breath. "Be careful! Don't touch the blade, Xander. There's magic on it. I can feel it." He almost smiled as Xander nearly dropped the dagger. "You should be all right so long as you grasp it by the hilt and don't let yourself be pricked by it."
"Should? I got to tell you, I'm not liking what I'm hearing. I'd like to hear a nice, positive `that can't hurt you, Xander'."
A smile quirked the corners of Giles' mouth as he watched Xander subtly shift his grip on the hilt so that he firmly held the dagger pointed down and away.
The sound of the car drew their attention. They made their way carefully across the cemetery to where Willow waited in Giles' old Citroen.
"There's a towel in the trunk. Wrap that thing carefully and leave it there. I don't want any accidents with it while we're in the car. Willow, quickly. Help me put Buffy on the rear seat. You'll need to ride with her and keep her steady."
Willow pushed the books on the rear seat to the floor. Giles winced slightly at the sound they made as they hit the ancient floorboards. Oh well, I did tell her to be quick, he thought. He glanced down at Buffy's still face resting against his chest and felt his heart constrict.
"Giles?" Willow asked anxiously. "I'm ready. Giles?"
"Oh, yes." He maneuvered Buffy onto the rear seat, her head pillowed on Willow's lap. Xander was in the front seat waiting for him. Giles pushed the driver's seat back, shifted into first and quickly revved the engine.
"Giles, what was on the dagger?" Willow asked.
"What?" Giles asked, his concentration on the road ahead.
"Not now, Will. Don't distract the man while he's driving." Xander uneasily met Willow's eyes over the seat back. Their silent look conveyed their fear to one another as clearly as if they had spoken.
They pulled up in front of Giles' condo. Giles picked Buffy up and rushed her through the front door. Willow and Xander got out and followed slowly behind him, Xander carefully carrying the towel-wrapped dagger.
"Giles?"
Giles heard the faint sound of Willow's voice and called out, "Up here." He barely noticed when they entered his bedroom. He put the last piece of tape on Buffy's bandage and then found that he couldn't move. He finally looked up when he felt a small hand on his shoulder. Willow stood over him as he knelt by the bed, concern etched on her lovely face.
"Giles, what was on the dagger? What's wrong with Buffy?" Troubled, she looked at her friend's still form.
"I wish I knew, Willow," said Giles softly. "I could tell it was enspelled when Xander showed it to me. But I don't know with what kind of magic. I don't know what it's going to do to her."
"I wish she'd move," Willow said. "It's unnerving seeing her so still."
"So, shouldn't we be trying to find out what this dagger thing is, then? I mean, if you're going to figure out what to do about it you need to know what it is, right?" Xander asked nervously, his eyes never leaving Buffy.
Giles smiled to himself. "Right you are, thank you for volunteering."
"Wait, me, volunteer? When did I do that?" Xander asked halfheartedly and then shook his head in resignation. "All right, I can be research boy again. What do you want me to do?"
Giles gave him a grateful smile and handed over his keys. "I left some books in my office at the University. They're stacked on the corner of my desk. Take my car. Bring all of them back with you. Willow, I'll need for you to go online and see what you can find out. Be very careful when you unwrap that dagger. We don't know what the potential for harm is with it." He took a deep breath. "I need to stay here with Buffy, in case..." his voice trailed off as he looked back down at the Slayer.
Willow gently squeezed his shoulder before removing her hand. "Don't worry, Giles. We'll find out what it is. Leave it to us."
"Yeah. When have you ever known us to not figure things out?" Xander smiled tentatively at them. "OK, don't go there. When have you ever known Will to not figure things out?"
"Oh, I know!" Willow exclaimed. "I can use my new digital camera to photograph the dagger. That way we can examine it without having to touch it! Let's go Xander. You can take me to the dorm and we'll pick up my laptop and the camera on the way to Giles office." She grabbed Xander's hand and pulled him out the door.
Giles sat back on his heels and gazed at the doorway fondly. They were as concerned about him as they were about Buffy, he knew. He shook his head and tried to clear it of the paralysis he felt. He turned back to his Slayer and watched her carefully. She was breathing easily and didn't seem to be in any pain. At least he wasn't sitting there watching her suffer. She looked so small and fragile when she was still like this. He reached out a hand to smooth a lock of blonde hair back from her forehead and nearly jumped when she turned into his hand and murmured something.
"Buffy? Can you hear me?"
She moved restlessly on the bed for a moment. He waited, but there was nothing further. He sighed and removed her shoes and socks and covered her with a light quilt. Mechanically he cleaned the mess left from bandaging her wound and put the first aid kit away in the bathroom. Another check assured him that there was no change in her condition before he went downstairs.
Giles desperately needed a scotch. Instead he put the kettle on for tea. The time for a drink, he told himself, was when he didn't need one. Alcohol in his bloodstream was not going to help solve this problem. He fussed about in the kitchen while he waited for the water to boil and then set the tea to steep. He fixed himself a cup and wandered out into the living room.
Piles of books littered the floor. Really have to get those straightened out, he thought. The books had taken over his apartment ever since they destroyed the high school library last summer when they stopped the Mayor's ascension. Buffy and the others had begun to consider his home as their base of operations. He hadn't been able to come up with a workable alternative to the library and it was driving him crazy. Even the bookcases he'd recently purchased weren't going to be enough.
Giles selected a stack of books from the floor, picked up his tea, and made his way upstairs to the bedroom. Buffy appeared not to have moved while he was gone. He set the books on the floor next to the overstuffed chair in the corner of the room, turned on the reading lamp and grimly prepared for a long night of research.
Giles opened his eyes. He'd fallen asleep in the chair; a book propped against his chest. For a moment he couldn't remember why he was in the chair instead of his bed, but a slight movement from the bed brought the night's disaster crashing down around him.
Buffy stirred, pushing at the quilt and muttering incoherently. Giles sat on the edge of the bed and touched her forehead. Heat radiated from her skin. His touch seemed to ease her restlessness. He smoothed the damp hair back from her face. They had to find the countermeasure, he thought. It would be intolerable if they didn't.
Giles shied away from what it might mean if they were unsuccessful. He concentrated instead on Xander's words - `We've never let you down before.' He had to trust that they would find the answers and that it would be all right.
Buffy was resting easier. Giles sighed and went back to his chair and his research. He made it through a few pages when the sound of her voice startled him.
"Giles?" she asked huskily.
He quickly made his way to her side. "Yes, Buffy. I'm here," he said.
"Giles?" Again came the hesitant question, and then she was quiet and still. It was then that Giles noticed that her eyes were closed. Was she dreaming, he wondered or something worse? He sat on the bed again, loathe to leave her side.
"Oh, God, no! Please don't let him be hurt! Not again." Her voice was barely above a whisper.
Giles wondered at the pain in her voice. Who was she talking about? Who caused her so much concern? A nasty little voice whispered to him. You know. Of course it's him, mate. Her Angel. Who else could it be? Giles shook his head, annoyed that he'd even bother with such thoughts.
Her voice was pleading now. "Please. Please let Giles be all right. Don't let him die. Please." Her head turned back and forth on the pillow and tears slipped from her closed eyes to slide down the sides of her face.
Giles started. It must be another of her nightmares. He was stunned. He'd known that they had upset her, but until now he hadn't comprehended just how badly she'd been hurt. Unconsciously he reached out to brush her cheek with his hand. The movement of her head stopped and the tense muscles of her neck relaxed.
Giles gently traced her cheek with his thumb. Buffy turned her head into his caress with a sigh. He watched in fascination as she relaxed into a more normal sleep. He waited for a few moments and then cautiously retreated to his chair.
He tried to continue his research but his gaze and his thoughts wandered back to Buffy no matter how sternly he pulled them back to the task at hand. He flipped through the book but found nothing to help. It would be dawn soon, he thought pensively as he removed his glasses and pinched the bridge of his nose. He closed his eyes for just a moment, but ended up falling asleep, the memory of Buffy's concern coloring his dreams.
He woke with the sun shining on his face through the sheer draperies at the window. He checked on Buffy and was relieved to see her still resting relatively comfortably. He felt stiff and sore from sitting up all night after fighting vampires. A hot shower beckoned while it was still quiet.
Giles stood facing the showerhead with his hands braced against the wall on either side, his head bowed to let the water pulse down his neck and back. Eyes closed, he relaxed in the hot water. Time to get back to it, he thought reluctantly. He turned off the shower and shook the water out of his hair.
He toweled off and put on a clean pair of old jeans and pulled a lightweight v-neck sweater over his head. It was soft and casual and the color of jade.
Giles padded down the stairs and halted when the living room came into view. Xander was asleep fully clothed, stretched out on the couch. He was wedged against the back of the couch, his head on a couple of throw pillows. Willow was pressed up against him with her head cradled half on his chest and half on his shoulder just under his chin, her free arm around his waist. Xander's arms were around her holding her close, their legs entwined. Giles smiled at the picture they made, at once heartbreakingly innocent and strangely sensual. One day they were going to have to come to terms with their feelings for each other. As much as he liked and admired Oz and didn't wish to see him hurt, he had a feeling that Xander and Willow together might be an inevitability.
He quietly made his way into the small kitchen. He knew they would rather not wake up with him watching them. He started to prepare his tea, not making excessive noise, but not trying to be overly quiet either. He brought out the coffee maker they had bought him when they started meeting regularly in his home. Willow had taught him how to make coffee to their liking and he prepared a pot knowing she and Xander would appreciate it.
"Giles. Smells good," Xander mumbled sleepily as he came into the kitchen.
"Good morning, Xander," Giles said. "Sit down. The coffee's almost ready." Giles put out sugar and a small carton of milk along with spoons.
"Great." Xander yawned as he sat at the bar that separated the kitchen from the living room. He spooned sugar into the mug Giles handed him and took a long pull on the coffee. "Man, I needed that."
"Any luck last night?" Giles asked. He leaned against the counter and drank his tea.
They both looked up when Willow entered the kitchen obviously still half-asleep. She made her way to the coffee maker as if hypnotized. This was a scene that had played out many times over the last several months. Giles had learned to leave a mug next to the coffee so that all she had to do was pour. She sat at the bar, fixed her coffee the way she liked it and downed half the mug in silence.
She looked up to see both men smiling at her. "What?" she asked sleepily.
"Nothing Will," Xander said, "just good morning. Sleep well?"
"Hmm." She took another swallow of coffee and nodded. "'Morning Giles."
"Good morning Willow." He waited for the coffee to wake her further.
"How's Buffy?" Willow asked.
A shadow passed over Giles' face. "The same, I'm afraid. I didn't find anything about the dagger in the books I looked through last night."
"Neither did we," Xander said quietly. He stared down into his coffee moodily before meeting Giles' gaze. "I know you said you don't know what kind of magic is on the dagger. But give it to us straight Giles. What do you think it is?"
They both looked at him expectantly. Giles sighed. "I really don't know Xander. I can only guess."
"I know how you hate that," Xander said, "but could you try?"
"I told you I could feel the magic. There's a specific feel to it that's difficult to describe. The best I can come up with is that it felt 'wrong'. I very much fear that it was meant to kill Buffy. I hope that the scratch she was given wasn't enough to kill. However, I'm afraid if we don't find a remedy quickly that it will still eventually kill her. And it may well become very painful for her in the meantime. As I said, I just don't know."
"Isn't there a generic get-well spell or something that you could do?" Xander asked anxiously.
"Without knowing what we're dealing with I'm afraid any magic we do might only make things worse." Giles shook his head.
Willow looked at him, troubled. "I couldn't find anything resembling the dagger online. Giles, there's something I'd like to do, but I don't want to do it behind your back."
Eyebrow raised, Giles said, "I appreciate that, however unusual an occurrence it may be. What is it?"
Willow swallowed. "I'd like to email a picture of the dagger to Angel."
Giles only reaction was to tighten his grip on his mug imperceptibly. What was it they said, he thought? Oh yes. Get over it. He cleared his throat. "I didn't know that you were in touch with Angel."
Willow looked away uneasily. "Only through email. He sent me a message about a month after he left. He asked me not to tell Buffy. I...I thought it might be a good idea to keep track of him."
Giles noticed a strange expression on Xander's face. "There's more, isn't there?"
Willow sighed. "Yes. I told Xander and Oz about it."
"Thank you very much for the vote of confidence," Giles said dryly.
"Giles--" Xander said, a funny note in his voice.
"What Xander? Did you all think I'd deliberately want to hurt Buffy with the knowledge?" Giles knew he was being unfair, but couldn't seem to help himself.
"No," Xander said quietly, "we didn't think that at all. Willow only told me because of Cordelia. And of course, she couldn't keep it from Oz." Xander gave him an odd half-smile.
"Cordelia? What does Cordelia have to do with this?" Giles was thoroughly confused. Cordelia had left for Los Angeles a few weeks after graduation.
Willow met Giles gaze. "Angel is in LA. He ran into Cordelia one night. She's working for him and some guy named Doyle."
"What!?" That had to be one of the craziest things Giles had ever heard. Cordelia had never been a big admirer of Angel, especially after he'd turned into Angelus. He couldn't fathom how Angel could have convinced her to work for him.
"That was pretty much my reaction," Xander said moodily. "But Willow said Angel saved Cordelia from a vamp attack. Guess they got to talking and this Doyle guy mentioned that he and Angel were going into some kind of business helping people."
Willow added, "Cordelia decided she'd be better off working with them than waiting around for another attack. It was her idea, actually." She smiled. "You know Cordy. She'll never admit that she was doing something important while she was a member of the Scooby Gang. I think she misses it."
"Well, be that as it may I don't know that it's wise for her to be around Angel," Giles said.
"You're not the only one," Xander said darkly, "but she's not about to listen to me."
"Anyway, Angel's got some contacts in LA. Maybe he could find out something about the dagger for us." Willow looked at Giles hopefully.
Giles turned away and poured more tea in order to give himself time to think. He hated the idea of further contact with Angel. He had tried as hard as he could to separate thoughts of Angel from thoughts of Angelus, and for awhile he'd thought he'd succeeded. He had felt Buffy's heartache when Angel left her and it had distressed him to watch her suffer. But there was a part of him that had rejoiced. He was not about to let that pain back into her life again. He turned back to the two of them.
"Send it to Angel," he said harshly, "but don't tell him what's happened or why we need the information. Just tell him we know it's an enchanted blade and we need to know what it does and how to counter it. Let him know it's urgent, but don't tell him Buffy is in danger. I don't want him coming back here."
Willow let out a slow breath. "All right. I can do that. He'll probably assume it's about Buffy, but he won't ask. He's been very careful not to mention her and I don't bring her up." The phone rang, cutting off the rest of what she was about to say.
"Hello?" Giles said. "Oh, yes, she's right here." He handed the phone to Willow. At Xander's questioning look he said, "Oz."
"Hi sweetie," Willow said as she took the phone into the other room. Giles studied Xander's face as he moodily looked out the window. He was about to speak when Willow bounced back into the kitchen.
"I'll send that email to Angel now. Oz'll be here in 15 minutes. He'll take us home so we can get cleaned up and get some stuff for Buffy. I should check on her mom's house, too. She's out of town for the next two weeks, but I've got a key. Giles, we'll be back in a couple of hours. Maybe Angel will have found something by then."
"OK. No more coffee for Willow." Xander gave her a small smile.
"Yes. All right." Giles put his mug in the sink and turned back to them. "What about Buffy's father? Wasn't she supposed to leave this morning to visit him during spring break?"
"Oh my god, her father! I forgot all about that." Willow exchanged anxious glances with Xander.
"You know where her mom keeps her phone book, right Will?" Xander asked. "How about we find her dad's number and bring it back for Giles to call?"
"Oh, thank you so much," Giles said dryly. "But I suppose that's for the best. Bring me his number and I'll give him a ring."