Dark Are The Shadows
by Ms. Hunter Ash aka B. Cooper
a BTVS & Dark Shadows crossover
rating: PG13
pairings: Willow/Tara, Quentin/Buffy, Barnabas/Roxanne, Giles/Angelique, Xander/Anya
editing note - the timing is a bit off for the next few pages - I'll work on it next go around
# # # #
SUNNYDALE, CALIFORNIA
Giles sighed as he started on
another book from a large stack of books on one side and a shorter stack
on the other side of him. “There must be an answer! There must be a way
to fight this creature!”
“Well, Spike was able to hold her for a moment and Angelique’s spell worked for a few seconds,” Willow said.
“And we know she loses her mental stability quite frequently,” Anya added.
“And Buffy said the troll hammer rattled Glory,” Giles said thoughtfully.
“Magic or supernatural stuff?” Xander ventured and Giles nodded.
“Quite possible,” the Watcher responded.
“Okay, I'm going to go get lunch and bring back. Everyone's usual from the burger place?” Xander offered.
“Not Doublemeat Palace!” Willow exclaimed.
“No, the one with real meat,” Xander said.
“The usual,” Giles said absently and everyone else nodded.
Xander opened the front door and then stood back.
“Coming through! Coming through!”
Everyone looked up as Spike
ran into the shop with a blanket over his head and the blanket was on
fire. He dropped the blanket on the floor and began stomping out the
fire.
“Fire! Fire!”
Giles stepped over to Spike and glanced down at the blanket.
“Hello, all,” Spike said cheerfully. “What's going on then?”
“Spike, you're not welcome here,” Giles replied.
“Yeah, and by the way, we're working on a way to de-invite you from here,” Willow added.
Spike looked surprised.
“Even if its a public place,” Willow added.
“Nah, forget it,” Xander said. “Letting him in is good, 'cause then we get to toss him out.”
“No one's glad to see me with my superior strength and endurance?” Spike asked.
“I think you'd better go,” Anya said.
“Okay, now, I was afraid of
this. Misrepresentations, misunderstandings, slurs and allegations. I
don't know what Buffy told you, but the thing is the Slayer and I worked
together, side-by-side, to get rid of Dru. Dru who was up to no good
and I don't mind telling you...” the vampire said quickly.
Giles pulled his glasses off and stepped closer. “Spike, listen to me...”
“It's just... I'm trying to
explain,” Spike protested. “She might have said some things that sound
like I expressed some kind of feeling...”
Giles shoved Spike backwards into a shelf and followed the vampire.
“We are not your friends,” Giles said softly. “We are not your way to Buffy. There is no way to Buffy.”
“So it's fine for you to sleep
with the living dead now?” Spike demanded. “Even letting the witch bite
you? Buffy only let Angel bite her once and now she's sleeping with a
werewolf!”
Giles leaned over and picked up the blanket. He shoved it into Spike's chest.
“Who we sleep with is our
business, soul-less one,” Giles said softly. “Clear out of here. And
Spike, this... thing, get over it.”
“You don't need a soul to love someone, you half-breed idiot,” Spike snapped. “And I don't know what you're talking about.”
“Yes, you do,” Giles said firmly. “Move the hell on.”
Spike started to say something
and glanced at everyone else and found no encouragement. The vampire
pulled the blanket over his head and left.
“Giles, what he said...” Xander began and Giles held up a hand.
“We know I'm connected to
Angelique and I'm not totally human any longer,” Giles said wearily.
“I'm not a ghoul nor a vampire but I have changed. I suppose I should
become accustomed to that word.”
“We'll find an answer, Giles,” Willow said and bit her lip.
“What is there to find an
answer for?” Giles asked. “Julia thinks my DNA has changed, which is a
logical theory. We know I'll rise a vampire after I die. I have to
adjust to that knowledge and the fact that sunlight hurts my skin and
I'm nearly blind in bright sunlight. And... holy objects are
uncomfortable for me. There, I've said it aloud.”
“Uncomfortable?” Xander repeated.
“I can hold a cross but I
would prefer to have it out of sight and not against my skin,” Giles
said. “Now, go get lunch and I'm back to the research.”
# # # #
COLLINSPORT, MAINE
“Wow, I haven't seen the
Atlantic ocean before,” Dawn said as she, Carolyn and Amy stood on
Widow's Hill. “We have beaches and stuff near where I live. Up along the
coast the waves get rough and there's cliffs and stuff but it feels
different.”
“I've been out to LA,” Carolyn said. “I know Elizabeth loved seeing Disneyland. Next time we can hit the beach or go skiing.”
Amy nodded. “She loved
Disneyland. I don't know how she managed not to say a word about Julia
and Barnabas and her trip to the 1890s!”
“I don't know, its kinda hard
going to school after Buffy,” Dawn said. “There were a lot of incidents
that were... vampires or demons but no one remembers them that way.
Giles says the Hellmouth protects itself.”
“Sounds like some of the things that happened around here!”
“Why do they call this Widow's Hill?” Dawn asked.
“In the old days men would go
out on ships for months at a time and they'd be expected to return
around a certain time,” Carolyn explained. “Women would begin to watch
the horizon for ships. Sometimes the ships didn't come back or the ships
came back without their men. There are small walkways on a lot of
houses near the ocean, those are known as widow's walks. Here... the
husbands of three women didn't come home over time and they... joined
them...”
“They committed suicide here,” Amy said. “People have fallen too without intending on going over.”
“Like my husband,” Carolyn said.
“I'm sorry, I didn't mean...”
“It's all right, Dawn,”
Carolyn said. “It was a long time ago. He was fighting with Angelique's
husband. He was loyal to the Leviathan and Jeb had turned on them for
me.”
“Wow. What happened to her husband?”
“They found him with a pistol
in his hand and a bullet through his heart,” Carolyn said. “Well, want
to go down to the village and see the family business? Since Barnabas is
adopting all of you, the rest of the family comes with the deal. My
cousin and I own it jointly. He runs the South American branch and loves
it down there. His kids will likely inherit that part of the business
and my son and daughter will inherit most of this. Elizabeth will be
included in that. I wish Barnabas could have been a father, he would
have been amazing.”
“I agree,” Amy said. “He
helped a lot when I was young. He was so mysterious and aloof at times
but I always felt safe with him. David told me he didn't at first.”
“That's because David was a
handful and would sneak into the Old House despite it being Barnabas'
place,” Carolyn said. “Then when Barnabas became a vampire... David was
one with the Leviathan and Barnabas betrayed them. Barnabas remembered
everything, David didn't. That was weird. This was also where Josette
threw herself off the cliff, she was mourning the death of her husband
and the fact that the original Barnabas left for England.”
“Wow,” Dawn said. “I'd love to the see the village.”
“If you're here tomorrow we'll go up into the city and drive around a little,” Carolyn offered.
“Cool,” Dawn said with a smile.
# # # #
SUNNYDALE, CALIFORNIA
“Hey, Quentin,” Buffy said as she walked into the manor. “Where is everyone?”
“Giles, Anya, Xander and
Willow are at the shop,” he responded. “Tara and Angelique are asleep,
of course. Your mother is at the gallery and asked for you to pick her
up in a couple of hours.”
“So we're basically alone?” Buffy asked. “That's unusual.”
“It is,” Quentin agreed and leaned forward and kissed her as he wrapped his arms around her.
Buffy sighed when he pulled back. “That's really... I could get lost in your kisses.”
“Go ahead, I'll find you,” he said softly and kissed her again.
“I could really fall for you, Quentin Collins.”
“I know I'm falling for you,” Quentin said. “Let me make some lunch and we'll do more of that.”
“Deal,” Buffy said with a wide smile. “I'll watch. What are we having?”
“Oven fried chicken with potato salad and green beans,” Quentin said.
“That sounds great,” Buffy said. “A guy that can cook. I might keep you around, Quentin.”
“I shall always work to keep you surprised,” Quentin promised.
“Tell me about you,” Buffy suggested as he began making lunch. “More about you, I mean. How did you get cursed?”
“Well, I was married and my wife....”
# # #
COLLINSPORT, MAINE
Carolyn smiled as Dawn's eyes
widened at the fish processing building. The outside looked much like it
had to Barnabas in 1971 but inside most everything was modern.
“We've managed to keep up with
the times,” Carolyn commented. “I now realize the surprise inheritances
were probably from Barnabas and Julia.”
“Can I ask something about them?” Dawn asked.
“Sure, I can't promise I'll answer though,” Carolyn said easily. “What is it?”
“Barnabas told us he was
cursed by Angelique in 1795 but he told Maggie, Joe and Amy something
really different, why?” Dawn asked.
“He was cursed by Angelique in
1795 and then he was locked away until 1967,” Carolyn said. “That's
what I pieced together. When he came to Collinwood... he fixated on
Maggie because she could be Josette's twin. He kidnapped her and drove
her out of her mind and fed on her.”
“Oh wow,” Dawn said softly as they walked along the catwalk above the main processing area.
“He says he wasn't exactly
sane when he was first released and he was desperate to have someone
with him and not to be discovered. That's why he's been so worried about
Maggie and Joe seeing him,” Carolyn said. “She didn't remember who had
kidnapped her and they became friends but memories can be unpredictable.
He was afraid seeing him and suspecting something occult oriented
because he wasn't aging, well, that it might bring those memories back.”
“And Joe?”
“I don't know,” Carolyn said.
“I haven't gotten the real stories from Julia yet. All I know is that
Joe went insane and was ranting about vampires and werewolves.”
“Barnabas and Quentin?” Dawn asked.
“No, Quentin hadn't arrived
yet,” Carolyn said. “Tom and Chris Jennings, Amy's brothers. Barnabas
was human at the time. I still haven't found out how that happened.”
“And Joe and Maggie don't remember what happened to them so Barnabas had to change his story,” Dawn surmised.
“Yes,” Carolyn said. “And I
don't fault them for it. They get to reconnect with Joe, Maggie and Amy
with little fear and we get to have them here after everything is
settled in California, I hope.”
“I hope it ends soon,” Dawn said. “I think Giles wants to visit here this season. Maybe some of us could come with him?”
“As many as can make it,”
Carolyn said. “Collinwood is large. I'll try and get my kids, and cousin
and family up here so you can meet the rest of the family.”
“Cool.”
# # # #
author's note: in the show the
next couple of episodes focus on losing Joyce. Sorry, not happening
here – at least not right now. As some of you know, when I'm writing I
have vague notions of where something will go and some scenes inside my
head but most everything is a surprise to me as I write it. I sometimes
know a scene several steps ahead or even an ending shot but nothing
concrete. Stephen King once said that a story isn't something he
invents, its a process of uncovering what's buried beneath the top soil.
I get that. Will they lose Joyce or Tara (permanently)? Unlikely. Maybe
I'm not as cruel as Joss – LOL. Hope everyone understands.
# # # #
Giles smiled when Joyce and Buffy walked into the Magic Box at closing. “Hullo, good to see you both.”
“Hey, Giles,” Buffy said.
“Willow said she wants to work with Tara and Angelique tonight when they
wake up and we thought maybe the three of us could go to dinner.”
“I have a treatment tomorrow and I won't feel like going out or cooking tomorrow,” Joyce added.
“Then I'll cook tomorrow,” Giles offered. “I'm fairly good at it and I'd love to have dinner with both of you. Let me lock up.”
Within minutes the three of them were being seated at a local Italian restaurant.
They made small talk until their order was taken and breadsticks were brought to the table.
“Any progress on the thing with Glory or Nicholas?” Buffy asked.
“Not yet,” Giles said.
“Nicholas did move and he left behind a number of things including
books. I'm hoping to find some kind of answers in them.”
Buffy nodded and looked down at a breadstick in her hand.
“What's going on?” Giles asked gently.
“I'm having trouble staying
focused,” Buffy admitted. “The longer this goes on with Glory and
Blair... it's like my emotions are shutting more and more down. I want
to be with Quentin but... something is keeping me held back. Like I
can't even commit the bare basics of emotions other than being
comfortable with him and I am not saying another word about this with
Mom being here.”
“Well, I'm also grateful,”
Giles said softly. “Buffy, you're under an incredible strain and it's
not just because of Blair and Glory. You're worried about your mother,
about Tara and Willow, about Barnabas and Julia and even about me.”
“You?” Buffy asked.
“Well, we had an encounter
with Spike and I had the pleasure of telling him to get out and threaten
him,” Giles said. “He threw my relationship with Angelique and yours
with Quentin back at me and called me a half-breed.”
“He what?” Buffy asked softly as her hand clenched into a fist.
Giles shrugged. “Glory also
used that term. Its something I may have to be accustomed to because
it's true on many levels. I'm not a ghoul, thank God, and I'm not a
vampire but I'm not human any longer. Julia thinks my DNA has changed
and that's something that probably can't be undone.”
“Rupert...”
“Let me describe it, please,”
Giles said. “Direct sunlight makes my skin uncomfortable and I'm nearly
blind in bright sunlight. The most disturbing is that holy objects make
me uncomfortable to touch. I prefer not to have my cross against my skin
or out of my shirt. I know you've noticed some of that and you don't
approve of my relationship with Angelique and it worries you. Buffy,
that's a lot of stress for anyone. Throw in Blair and Glory and the fact
they want to ultimately destroy the universe and I can't believe you
haven't collapsed from all of this.”
“I guess,” Buffy said softly. “How do we fix this?”
“By eliminating as much stress
as possible, of course,” Giles suggested. “And... are you serious about
this? I mean about changing your focus?”
“Yeah, why?” Buffy asked as Joyce quietly watched both of them.
“How serious?”
“Ten, I'm serious to the amount of ten,” Buffy said. “I mean I need to save the world and protect everyone and...”
“And?”
“I want the feelings I should
have with a new relationship,” Buffy said. “Quentin is amazing and
understanding but... I want to give this a full shot in addition to
saving the world.”
“There is something in the Watcher's diaries... a quest.”
“A quest? Like finding a grail or something?” Buffy asked.
“Not a grail but maybe answers,” Giles answered. “It would take a day, perhaps two.”
“I can't leave Mom,” Buffy said immediately.
“I'll be fine, honey,” Joyce
said. “The others will take good care of me and Glory hasn't even
noticed me. Tomorrow I'll spend most of the day on my bed after my
treatment. What is this quest?”
“Some Slayers before Buffy
found it helpful in regaining their focus and learning more about their
role. There's a sacred place in the desert that isn't... well, it isn't
far.”
“Okay,” Buffy said after Joyce squeezed her hand. “When?”
“Tomorrow at 5 am?”
“Done,” Buffy agreed.
# # # #
COLLINSPORT, MAINE
Barnabas found Carolyn waiting for him at the top of the basement stairs just after sunset.
“Hi,” she said. “How are you feeling? Have you, uh, fed since you got here? You're awfully pale, Barnabas.”
“No, I haven't,” he admitted. “I'll visit one of the farms on the property later. How is Dawn?”
“Doing well, we showed her
around the property and Collinsport and I showed off the plant and all
the improvements we've made over the last few years,” she responded as
they walked towards the parlor. “I have a surprise for you.”
“Really?”
“Yes,” Carolyn said with a wide smile. “Someone was in Mexico on business and flew up today.”
Barnabas' eyebrows rose and Carolyn opened the doors to the parlor wide.
He took in the sight of Dawn and Amy talking with a man whose back was to the doors.
Barnabas recognized David Collins the moment the middle aged man turned around. “David.”
The boy and the vampire had
started out with a contentious relationship that had mellowed when the
boy became a teenager and Barnabas had fought hard to save the boy
several times, not that David was aware of it.
David Collins grinned and
walked over quickly and hugged the surprised vampire. “Barnabas! Carolyn
called and said you and Julia were here and I got here as quick as I
could. Damn, you look the same.”
“Come sit down, you two!” Carolyn urged as Dawn and Amy watched the interactions.
“David...”
“Carolyn and I compared
memories awhile back,” David said. “We figured out a lot of it and why
you and I... didn't get along at first. I was a pain in the ass, that's
for sure and you were trying to protect yourself. I get it.”
“I was also a cold bastard at
the time,” Barnabas said. “Julia kept talking me out of getting heavy
handed with you and I'm grateful.”
“I noticed a change over the years,” David said. “She also told me what you told Maggie and Joe and why and that's cool.”
“Julia and I watched the
family from the shadows, as we put it,” Barnabas said. “We caught
glimpses of the two of you upon occasion.”
“And protected the family and supplemented the inheritances, right?” Carolyn added.
“We could spare the money,” Barnabas said.
“How about we have a big
Christmas?” David suggested. “I'll bring the family up and Carolyn's
kids can come and bring their kids and they can play with Elizabeth. My
kids and grandkids have never seen snow.”
“That would be wonderful!”
Carolyn exclaimed. “We can also figure if we're going to tell the next
two generations about Barnabas, Julia and Roxanne.”
“Roxanne?” David asked.
“I didn't get to that part,” Carolyn said to Barnabas.
Barnabas nodded. “The short version is...”
# # # ##
SUNNYDALE, CALIFORNIA
“Hey, Will,” Xander called
from the living room where he and Anya were cuddled in front of the
fire. “Did you see the paper today?”
“No and we're only taking a break, I'm heading back outside with Tara and Angelique, can it wait?”
“I'm not sure,” Xander said and held up the newspaper.
“Bronze Bartender Murdered in the Hospital,” Willow read. “Oh no, Barnabas' friend! What happened?”
“Someone ripped her throat out and her body disappeared the next day from the morgue,” Xander said.
“Oh great! Okay, I'll hack
into the reports after we're done,” Willow said. “Barnabas isn't here
so... it might not be a major crisis yet.”
“We can only hope,” Anya commented.
# # # #
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