Dark are the Shadows 02/10/2020

Dark are the Shadows
Ms. Hunter Ash

rating: PG13
pairings: Buffy/Quentin, Giles/Angelique, Willow/Tara, Barnabas/Roxanne, Xander/Anya, Julia/Thomas, Maggie/Joe

#  ## #


Buffy smiled as Quentin opened the door for her at the Magic Box.

“Hey, An, how goes?” she asked as they entered.

“It is a little slow,” Anya said. “Are you two taking a break from research and going for lunch?”

“Yeah,” Buffy answered. “We thought we'd pick up something for you since Giles is a little erratic with his schedule right now and Xander is doing repairs around the mansion.”

“I would like that, thank you,” Anya said with a smile. “Where are you going?”

“We thought Italian sounded good today,” Quentin said.

“I would like chicken parm, then,” Anya said.

“Consider it done,” Buffy said and then froze when Glory walked in the door with a wide smile.

“Hi! I thought I'd drop around and let you know I haven't forgotten you,” Glory said cheerfully.

“Quentin, get Anya out of here, out the back,” Buffy said softly.

“They really should stick around, I haven't decided which one of them I'm going to kill,” Glory said, her voice still as equally cheerful as when she walked in. “Tell you what, I'm feeling generous, you decide.”

“What?” Buffy asked.

She could sense Quentin moving behind her to the end of the counter, pulling Anya out from the register.

'You choose which one I'm going to kill and I'll make it fairly quick and clean,” Glory said. “Otherwise, I'll choose and I'll make it very bloody and painful.”

Glory pretended to ponder. “Or you can just give me my key.”

“Quentin, go!” Buffy yelled and spun and kicked Glory back towards the door.

Buffy grabbed a sword from the wall and swung at Glory only to have her grab the blade and ram the pommel back into Buffy's face and then the hell-god yanked the sword out of Buffy's hand and reversed it in her hand.

“Whoa!” Buffy exclaimed as she turned, letting the blade slide across her ribs instead of through them. She backhanded Glory away and dived over the counter. She grabbed the first thing she could, a large troll hammer which she swung and hit the hell-god.

Buffy panted as Glory shook her head and looked confused.

Then Glory frowned. “Well, that was annoying, I almost forgot that I need to leave you alive for awhile. Don't wait too long to call for help, you're bleeding badly. Bye for now.”

Buffy looked at her shirt turning red and sighed and reached for the phone. “Damnit.”


# # # #


“Xander, keep Joyce and Dawn here out of sight,” Giles said urgently as he closed his cell phone. “I'm going to the hospital. Buffy has been slightly injured by Glory. Do not tell Joyce or Dawn.”

“You sure you're up for driving?” Xander asked.

“It's not far,” Giles said. “I'll be all right.”

“Okay, just... call when you can.”


# # # #


Buffy winced as the intern on duty carefully stitched her wound closed.

“It's almost a good thing that blade was sharp,” he commented.

“Why?”

“A dull or serrated blade tears the skin up very badly,” he said. “You'll barely have a scar if you take care of this. Now, the nurse will give you a prescription for pain pills and bandages so you can change this out. Don't get it wet for a few days.”

“Thanks, Doc,” Buffy said with a sigh.

“Buffy?”

“Oh hey, Giles,” Buffy said as her Watcher stood in the doorway of the trauma unit. “The doctor just finished up.”

“What happened?” Giles asked.

“Well, whoever tried to rob your store hit her with something and then tried to convince her to open the till with a knife across the ribs,” the doctor said. “She was lucky.”

“Knife? Good lord,” Giles said softly. He waited until the doctor left her bedside. “What happened?”

“Glory tried to convince me to give her the key,” Buffy said softly. “She threatened to kill Quentin or Anya. They got out the backdoor. They're in the waiting room.”

“How did you fend her off?” Giles asked.

“I grabbed that big hammer after she took my sword from me,” Buffy said. “She remembered that she had to keep me alive and Quentin and Anya were gone.”

“We've got to find answers soon,” Giles commented. “Xander is at the mansion with your mother and Dawn. Willow should be awake soon as well.”

“How do we find answers, Giles?”

“I don't know.”


# # # #

“Hand me the hammer,” Xander instructed Dawn and reached for the tool as she leaned up as he stood on a ladder. “I'm going to work on making metal frames for the doors that the doors will hang on. That should stop some of the crashing going on around here. For now, I'll repair the frames already there.”

“Okay,” Dawn said. “You want the nails for that?”

“No, wood screws,” Xander said. “Nails can give way easier than wood screws.”

“There's specific screws for stuff?”

“Oh yeah, for wood, metal, flat headed, round, some meant to be driven even with the wood or slightly lower so you can cover them with wood putty,” Xander explained.

“Do you think Buffy and Quentin will be here for dinner? Mom is making pot roast.”

“Oh, that sounds good,” Xander said. “I'm sure they will. Giles and Anya too.”

“Good, you guys don't get to rest enough,” Dawn commented.

“You're right about that.”


# # #


Buffy smiled as she and Giles stepped from the trauma area and walked into the waiting room. “Hey, guys, ready to get out of here?”

Quentin smiled widely and stood up along with Anya. “What did they say?”

“That I should barely have a scar,” Buffy said. “The black eye will be annoying.”

“What do we tell your mother about that?” Giles asked.

“That Quentin and I were sparring and I sidestepped into his fist?” Buffy suggested. “No, I'll tell them the truth. Right now I just want to go home and put on a shirt that doesn't have a slash in it along with my blood.”

“As long as Glory doesn’t realize that the Key is now human, we might be able to outlast her,” Giles suggested. “If we can keep her from killing everyone around you, that is. There’s some indication that she might be on a time line.”

“As long as we can keep Dawn from her and those crazy knights we might save Dawnie?” Buffy asked.

“Yes.”


# # # #


Barnabas opened his eyes slowly. Everything hurt but… there was light and he wasn’t hanging in a wall in darkness.

“Barnabas?”

The vampire turned his head and then leaned up on a forearm as he touched Roxanne’s face.

“So beautiful,” he whispered. “I fell for you the moment I saw you. All three times.”

“We never had a chance,” Roxanne said softly. “Give us a chance now, please. Don’t say no, please.”

“I won’t,” Barnabas said and laid back down and Roxanne leaned up. “My hands still hurt.”

“What about you and Julia?” Roxanne asked.

“She’s with someone and needs to be free,” Barnabas said. “I think she believes we’ll come together again in the future.”

“Will you?”

“I don’t intend on losing you, Roxanne,” Barnabas said firmly. “I love you and want a chance with you.”

Roxanne leaned down to kiss Barnabas and both deepened the kiss as he wrapped his arms around her. He moaned as her body melded next to him and encouraged him to rise up enough for her to pull his t-shirt off.

Both of them growled when his cellphone began playing a Wagner piece.

“I have to get that,” he said softly.

“Damnit,” Roxanne muttered and grabbed the phone and opened it for him.

“I’m here,” he said.

“Barnabas....”

“Julia, what is it?” he asked, her voice...

“It's Willie, he was killed.”

“No,” Barnabas said softly and sat up. “What happened?”

“He hit his head. He's gone, Barnabas.”

“What happened?” the vampire demanded.

“Nothing we can do anything about,” Julia responded. “I knew you'd want to know.”

“I'll be there either before sunrise or tomorrow night,” Barnabas said.

“There's nothing you can do, just.... take care and recover,” Julia said. “I have to go, Carolyn is arranging things. He loved us, you know.”

“Yes, he was a good man,” Barnabas commented. “I'm sorry, Julia. He saved my life several times and... he was my friend.”

“I'll call in a couple of nights when I know more.”

“Goodbye, Julia,” Barnabas said and nodded to Roxanne and she closed his phone.

“Barnabas, you can't even button a shirt,” Roxanne protested. “You can't travel alone.”

He started to protest and then nodded. “You're right. I have to wait a couple of nights at least. Damn, he... He was my friend.”

“You haven't had many of those, have you?”

“No, especially after being cursed,” Barnabas said. “Most of those I'd call a friend didn't know me very well. Willie and Quentin are two who actually know what I am and what I was like at times. It was Willie that freed me and I treated him horribly. I was half mad and desperate to never be locked away or killed. I was also a selfish bastard.”

Barnabas leaned over and kissed Roxanne gently. “I'm sorry that interrupted us. Where were we?”

“Do you need to make calls or anything?” Roxanne asked as he laid back down.

“No, I'll call Carolyn later,” he said. “I need to be here with you. The outside world can wait. I never stopped loving you, Roxanne.”

“Nor Julia?” Roxanne whispered.

“I am in love with her, that's something that I can't and wouldn't turn off,” Barnabas replied. “That doesn't mean I love you less, Roxanne. I tried to mourn you and move on and couldn't. Julia knew that.”

“I love you, Barnabas,” Roxanne said softly. “I want forever.”

“As long as you want it, my love.”

Barnabas held her as best he could with clothing being removed or unbuttoned.


# # # #

“Thanks for bringing a shirt out for me, Quentin,” Buffy said as she turned around and pulled her bloody, sliced shirt off and pulled on a clean one that wouldn't show the bandages.

Quentin swallowed as he watched her muscles rippling with just a sports bra barely covering a small part of her back.

Buffy turned and hesitated and then leaned up and kissed him.

Quentin wrapped his arms around her and continued kissing her as they lost track of everything around them including a figure in the shadows that frowned and tossed a cigarette butt away.

“Let's go panic my mom,” Buffy suggested after a few minutes.

“Sounds like this won't be fun,” Quentin said as he held her hand.

“She knows what I do is dangerous, I usually don't tell her when I'm hurt,” Buffy explained.

The Slayer opened the door and smiled as Xander, Dawn and Joyce looked up from a Monopoly game board.

“Honey?” Joyce asked.

“I'm okay, honest,” Buffy said quickly. “I'll have a black eye and the cut will be mostly healed by tomorrow night.”

“What happened?” Dawn asked as she and Joyce jumped up to check out Buffy's bruises.

“Glory dropped by the shop,” Buffy said. “Quentin and Anya got out the back door while she and I discussed things over. She remembered that she needs me alive so she left. Where is everyone?”

“Anya and Giles are making dinner and Angelique is talking with them in the kitchen,” Xander said. “Will and Tara are on the patio. Uh, Barnabas and Roxanne haven't come down yet.”

“His marriage is definitely in trouble,” Quentin muttered.

“So, it appears,” Joyce agreed.

“Dinner!” Giles announced as he carried a large pan of lasagna to the table followed by Anya with a large salad bowl. “I'll grab the garlic bread and warm some blood for Tara. I'll wait for Barnabas... ah, there they are. I'll warm blood for everyone not having lasagna.”

Buffy looked up as Barnabas and Roxanne walked downstairs. His wrists were still bandaged and the Slayer thought he was moving a bit stiffly.

“Good evening, everyone,” he said. “Blood would be good.”

“How's the shoulder and hands?” Xander asked.

“The shoulder is healing well,” Barnabas said. “My hands... I'm getting more feeling in them.”

Willow and Tara smiled when they walked in.

“You're not as pale as last night,” Quentin commented. “Good to see you recovering.”

“Thanks,” Willow said as they sat down.

Giles placed a mug of blood in front of Barnabas and Roxanne and Anya followed with blood for Tara in addition to the garlic bread. Angelique sat down next to Giles with a mug of her own.

“You were injured today?” Barnabas asked Buffy.

“Glory tried to convince me to give in,” Buffy said. “I'll be okay.”

“I, uh, need to return to Maine for a night or two,” Barnabas said. “I won't be gone long.”

“To Julia?” Quentin asked with an expression of confusion. He knew with his heightened senses that Barnabas and Roxanne were... close.

“No, Willie was killed,” Barnabas said as everyone listened as dinner was dished out. “Julia wouldn't tell me what happened. I owe him.”

“His grave will be there next week,” Quentin said.

“I need to go,” Barnabas said.

“Are you going with him?” Willow asked Roxanne.

“No,” the red-haired vampire answered. “It's too soon. I'll get him to the airport and hand him off to an airport aide because of his hands and come back... if you don't mind me lending a hand against Nicholas and Glory.”

Buffy shook her head. “We'll take all the help we can get.”

“Thank you,” Roxanne said.

“Will you be able to drive?” Quentin asked. “Once you get to the airport in Maine, I mean.”

“As long as it's an automatic. They should be improved by tomorrow night.” Barnabas said. “I will be back the next night or night after.”

“With the Initiative really gunning for you getting out of the state might be a good idea,” Buffy said.

“So sorry about your friend, Barnabas,' Willow said.

“Thank you,” Barnabas said. “He is the one that released me and saved my life several times. When I was a vampire he protected me. At first because I commanded him, later as a friend. When I was human he and Julia saved me several times.”

“Just be safe,” Quentin urged. “There are still a lot of people in Collinsport that will know you even if you claim to be your own son.”

“Maggie and Joe especially,” Barnabas agreed. “I would love to talk to them but its too dangerous. Now, how do we fight Nicholas and Glory?”

“Hopefully we find something before either or both of them strike again,” Giles said. “There's indications that Glory's time is short. That may help... perhaps Dawn should get out of the state for several days and nights.”

Joyce frowned. “What are you thinking, Rupert?”

“She hasn't seen Maine and Barnabas could use someone to watch over him during the day,” Giles suggested.

“That's... that could work,” Barnabas said. “I have adopted you all as family and having someone with me will quell many of the rumors that there's something supernatural about me if I'm seen.”

“Dawn?” Buffy asked.

“I'd kinda like that,” Dawn said and glanced at her mother. “But Mom and the treatments...”

“We'll take good care of her,” Xander promised.

“We will,” Giles affirmed.

“It's been really stressful, you could use a break,” Joyce said. “I'll be fine. I won't be alone here and there are a lot of people to keep an eye me and get me to the treatments. We can get a paper notarized tomorrow giving Barnabas temporary care so you can get on an airplane.”

“And she can help with a lot of stuff if his hands are still hurting tomorrow night,” Anya added.

“To get an early flight.... Would you mind riding in the trunk so you arrive in Los Angeles just after sunset?” Quentin suggested.

“I've been stuffed in six foot coffins several times, a car trunk won't be bad as long as the luggage is up in the backseat.”

“Plan,” Xander said.


# # # #



Tara walked up behind Willow and wrapped her arms around her lover, her chin resting on Willow's shoulder.

“Are you all right, baby? You were awfully quiet during dinner,” Tara asked.

“Yeah, just hearing Tom summon me,” Willow said softly. “It's distracting.”

“Will that get worse with Barnabas gone?” Tara asked.

“Oh Goddess, I hope not!”

“And I can't dominant you like that,” Tara commented. “We won't leave you alone for a minute after sunset.”

“Thanks, that'll help,” Willow said softly. “I hope they won't be gone long. Or maybe they should. If Glory is on a short time frame she wouldn't be able to get to Dawn if she's in Maine.”

“That's probably what everyone is thinking,” Tara agreed. “Maybe they're setting it up so Dawnie has somewhere to go.”

“That would be smart,” Tara said. “Are... we okay?”

“Yeah, why?”

“B-because of what happened,” Tara stammered. “You didn't want to be fed on by Thomas' uncle or knowing Barnabas was suffering so much.”

“I think so,” Willow said after a few moments. “It makes me sick but you don't, I promise.”

Tara kissed Willow's neck softly and felt her lover shiver.

“I love you,” Tara whispered.

Willow turned in Tara's arms and kissed her lover firmly, almost desperately.

When she pulled back slightly, she reached up and pulled the bandage away from her neck wounds. “Let me show you and... keep Tom from my mind.”

“W-what?” Tara whispered.

“Yes,” Willow said softly and kissed Tara again and then turned her head slightly.

Willow felt Tara's body jerk slightly and then Willow shivered when fangs lightly raked over her throat. “Please,” she whispered.

Her own body jerked when Tara's fangs pierced her skin. Willow clung to her lover as waves of eroticism ran through her, sending currents of sensations up and down her spine.

“Oh God, don't stop, please,” she whispered and then whimpered when Tara's fangs pulled away.

Then they were kissing almost frantically.

Willow touched Tara's face gently and then grabbed her lover's hand. “Come on.”

Barnabas looked up from the book he was researching in and then went back to the book and then looked up again with a frown.

The vampire debated about saying something as Willow and Tara headed upstairs to their room and decided against it. Giles had similar wounds for the same reason, after all and the only reason he didn't was because he was still very weak.

Perhaps the witches had a good idea, he thought.


# # ##


“So, the game plan is to carry Barnabas and Roxanne out to the trunk and put the luggage in the backseat with Dawn while I drive them and Buffy to the airport?” Quentin asked Giles.

The Watcher nodded. “I'm surprised Joyce is letting her go but I think it'll give Buffy and Joyce a short break from being terrified that Glory will figure out what she's looking for.”

Giles took a drink of his herbal tea.

“Where's Angelique?” Quentin asked.

“Out for a bit,” Giles responded. “I'm going to nap for a bit before she gets back.”

“I'll be here.”



# # #



Buffy walked into the living room and sat down next to Dawn. “What's up, runt?”

“I can't sleep,” Dawn said softly. “Its kinda hard knowing I... that I was made.”

“Well, if you want to get technical, we were all made,” Buffy said. “Dawn, you are my sister. Annoying, smart, shorter than me and my sister. That's all that matters to me. I don't care why Glory and Nicholas want you.”

“Thanks,” Dawn said softly. “Here comes Mom.”

“You got your suitcases packed?” Buffy asked.

“Yeah,” Dawn replied. “Over by the door.”

“Awesome,” Buffy said. “I'll let you talk with Mom. We'll do the legal stuff later today and send you guys off tonight. Dawnie, I mean it, you're my sister and I don't care how that happened.”

“Thanks.”


#$ # # #


Giles pulled out a small notepad and quickly wrote down a thought as he waited outside a bank while Joyce, Buffy and Dawn got a temporary custody paper notarized for Barnabas.

“Hullo, Watcher.”

Giles looked up and blinked. “Blair?”

“I'm not sure how you got back or how they found Barnabas and the witch but it won't matter in the end,” Blair said. “And don't even think about trying magic, I'm better and faster than you and you know it.”

“Yes, I do,” Giles said. “I also have desperation on my side.”

“Are you sure you want to try it?” Nicholas asked.

“Why are you approaching me?” Giles asked. “You can't be doing the stereotypical villain thing of threatening us while sounded unsure of yourself or your plan. That's not your style.”

“I knew Watchers were intelligent, I didn't realize some were smart as well,” Nicholas commented. “You're right, I'm not here to threaten.”

“Then why the civilized discussion? Wanting to know how we got back or how we found Barnabas and Willow?”

“I am curious about that, I'll admit,” Blair said. “Actually, I thought I would lend a hand to your side for once.”

Giles' eyebrows rose. “I find that hard to believe. What brought this on and lend us a hand, how?”

“Well, as you know that demented hell-god and I are after the same thing,” Blair began. “It would be impossible to tolerate that lunatic long enough for both of us to utilize the key.”

“I'd agree with that,” Giles said almost cautiously.

“Well, your hell-god's plans would cost your young daughter her life,” Blair said.

“And yours wouldn't?”

“No, she'd be changed but honored and worshiped,” Blair said. “And my plan would take a long time to finally come to fruition. Your hell god is intent on destroying all the universes just to get back to her own.”

“And yours would turn this world over to the Leviathan and the old gods,” Giles noted.

“Which you might be able to stop at any point along the line,” Blair pointed out.

“So you want us to turn the key over to you?” Giles asked. “Seriously?”

“Well, if not it'll be a race as to which of us gets the kid first,” Blair said. “Think you can keep ahead of me, Glory and the knights? They want to kill her. I don't.”

“I'd have to pass on that,” Giles said.

Blair shrugged. “Have it your way. How is Barnabas doing, by the way? Can he use his hands yet?”

“He'll be fine and looking for revenge again,” Giles responded.

Blair laughed. “Of course! That was just an opening round in this chapter. Enjoy what little peace you can grab, the roller coaster is pulling up to the railing.”

Giles shook his head as Blair walked towards the parking lot.

“Giles! Was that Blair?” Buffy demanded as she rushed up to him from the bank door.

“Yes,” Giles said. “He had a proposition. I declined. Gather your mother and sister. I doubt it but he might make a play for Dawn in a moment.”

“You doubt it?”

“That wouldn't be... polite.”

“Weird,” Buffy mumbled.