Dark are the Shadows 06/07/2020 - BTVS/Dark Shadows

Sorry this is late.

Dark Are the Shadows
Ms. Hunter Ash
ripperbard7@yahoo.com
frost29@post.com

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

# # # #

COLLINSPORT, MAINE

“Can you believe this week?” Joe asked as he ate breakfast at the diner with Maggie.

“We've had some strange experiences but this ranks up there,” Maggie agreed.

“Barnabas is different than I remember,” Joe commented.

“He used to confuse the hell out of me,” Maggie said. “He'd be very open and then he'd be reserved and would pull back. I remember when he was cursed by the Leviathan, I mean I can look back and know almost the night it happened, now the weird vibes make sense.”

“Did he try to harm you?” Joe asked with a frown.

“No, not at all,” Maggie said with a smile. “I think he was afraid to get close to anyone right then. It had to be scary as hell for him.”

“I can't even imagine,” Joe agreed. “I noticed the two couples seemed more at ease half way through last night.”

“I think so. It was obvious that Julia more than cared for him,” Maggie said. “I thought he was either dense or was ignoring it.”

“Maybe a little of both,” Joe suggested. “The kid is really stressed.”

“Yeah, she's at the center of the danger Barnabas and Roxanne are fighting against,” Maggie explained. “That's partly why they're here. She came along to help with his hands and to get out of the state.”

“Maybe they can stay awhile,” Joe said. “I wouldn't mind.”

“Thanks,” Maggie said and squeezed his hand. “I really like them.”

# # # #

“What's on the agenda tonight?” Barnabas and Roxanne asked Carolyn, Amy, David and Dawn.

“Thomas asked if you two would go down to the Old House for a bit tonight,” Carolyn said. “We're going to tell more stories about you while you're gone.”

Barnabas chuckled. “I'll deny everything. Dawn, how's your mother?”

“Resting okay today,” Dawn said. “Buffy said she'd call in a few.”

“Let us know if anything changes, if it's too close to sunrise, Carolyn can get you on a plane to Los Angeles,” Barnabas suggested.

“Okay, thanks.”

Several minutes later Barnabas and Roxanne hesitated outside of the Old House.

“You up for this? Whatever this is?” Roxanne asked him.

“Let's give it a go,” Barnabas said. “Hopefully it won't be unpleasant. Last night was nice. It still hurts but things were better last night.”

“I agree,” Roxanne said. “Having electricity in this place will seem strange to me.”

Barnabas chuckled and knocked on the door. It did feel odd to knock on his own door...

Julia opened the door with a smile. “Hello, thanks for coming over.”

“Of course,” Barnabas said as Roxanne walked in ahead of him.

He kissed Julia's cheek and pulled off his cloak and let Julia hang it and his cane up in their traditional place on the coat rack.

He and Roxanne sat down on a sofa. It definitely was still strange to the vampire to have electricity in the house he had been raised in. And had died in.

“How is the leg healing, Thomas?” Barnabas asked.

“It’s itching like crazy,” the young werewolf said. “Julia keeps telling me not to take a wire hanger to the inside of my cast.”

“You scratch too deep and you’ll get an infection,” Julia scolded.

Thomas shrugged.

“We’re going to take over the caretaker’s cottage,” Julia told Roxanne and Barnabas. “There’s a fruit cellar that’s hard to find.”

“I’m going to fix it up,” Thomas added. “It won’t take too long.”

“I appreciate that,” Barnabas said. “I’ve no doubt if things continue on like this, we can all get along but I’m not sure living together would work.”

“That's what we're thinking as well,” Julia said. “There is something that concerns me, when you two are here, who will watch over you? Especially if a number of people know what we are.”

Barnabas frowned. “That is a good question. Amy will be returning to her position as a teacher when school starts, Elizabeth is too young and Maggie and Joe have their own lives to tend to during the day.”

“How do we find someone?” Roxanne asked. “Sebastian isn’t up for travel.”

“And we aren’t going to terrorize someone into watching over us as I did Willie at first,” Barnabas said firmly.

# # # # #

SUNNYDALE, CALIFORNIA

Giles yawned as he walked into the kitchen and found Willow stirring a pot of something.

“I think I slept,” he commented.

“You did,” Willow agreed. “All day.”

“I had meant to go to the hospital,” he said. “Any word from Buffy?”

“Only to send Quentin home to take a nap and change,” Willow said. “She said Joyce is resting and is coherent and stuff. The regular doctor is looking at the report from the ER surgeon.”

Giles nodded and smiled when Tara and Quentin walked in.

“Hello, where's Angelique?” Quentin asked.

“Taking a shower,” Giles said. “Are you heading back to the hospital?”

“Yeah, I'm going to try and get Buffy to take a break,” Quentin responded. “Joyce is stable according to the staff.”

“Good,” Giles said. “Ah, phone, damn thing. Yes, Buffy, of course I can be there in the morning. What time? 9am, I will be there. Are you all right? Yes, Quentin can bring you clean clothes and necessities. I did sleep, all day. I feel a bit groggy but I think better. I'll call Dawn tonight. Yes, Quentin should be leaving soon. Call if anything develops or if you just need to talk. Try and sleep tonight. See you in the morning.”

Giles closed the phone. “She'd like a change of clothes and shampoo, things like that.”

“Not a problem,” Quentin said. “I'm going to get some take out from the Italian restaurant and see that she eats. You're looking better tonight, Giles. You definitely needed the sleep.”

“I agree,” Giles said. “Aside from seeing the doctor in the morning I'm going to try and do more of a night owl existence for now.”

“It does help when you're dating and living with a vampire,” Quentin agreed. “I'll gather her stuff.”

“Where did I leave that book I was researching from....?” Tara muttered. “Maybe outside.”

“Probably,” Willow said. “I'm making stew. I got some garlic bread ready to toast and salad.”

“Sounds delicious,” Giles said.

Tara grabbed a book from a small table on the patio.

When she turned around Glory was standing in front of her.

“Don't say a word or I'll kill whoever steps outside the door, sweetie,” Glory said cheerfully. “See, I've got an idea that I've found my key. You're the most recent addition to this misfit bunch.”

Tara swallowed and then her eyes narrowed and she felt her fangs elongate and her eyes shift in intensity.

“What?” Glory whispered, her eyes widening. “How many freaking vampires does that girl refuse to stake?!”

Tara responded by hitting Glory as hard as she could, sending the hell-god back several feet. She considered yelling for help but... Buffy wasn't even in the mansion. She followed through with another punch to Glory's face.

Glory grabbed Tara's fist at the next swing and threw Tara across the patio into the wooden gate leading to the alley. Tara shook her head but before she could react, Glory was on her again and pulled Tara up and slammed her into the cinder-block fence, concrete dust fell on Tara's hair.

Then Glory screeched and let Tara go.

The vampire's eyes widened at the sight of a... wolf dashing away from Glory with the hell-god's dress in its mouth and that Glory didn't favor underwear.

“You! Come back here, Fido, or I'll skin you!” Glory yelled.

Tara heard alarmed voices inside the mansion and Glory kicked the gate open to the alley and disappeared. The vampire slid down to the ground.

“Tara!”

“She's over here!” Angelique called and squatted down next to the vampire witch. “Don't try and move.”

Willow and Giles were there almost instantly and examining Tara.

“That hurt,” Tara admitted.

“What happened?” Willow asked.

“Glory was tossing her around,” Angelique said. “I saw it from upstairs and jumped down to lend a hand.”

“How did you fight Glory off?” Giles asked.

“I didn't,” Angelique said.

“She stripped Glory naked,” Tara said softly.

“Say what?” Giles asked and looked at his lover.

“I turned into a wolf and ripped her dress off and stayed out of her reach,” Angelique said. “She didn't want underwear to spoil the lines of her very fashionable but totally impractical dress.”

Giles shook his head and helped Willow get Tara on her feet. “Let's get her inside. What did she want?”

“The Key,” Tara said. “She knows the Key is human and I'm the most recent member of the core group. I got in a couple of good shots, even gave her a bloody lip.”

“Wait, you hurt her?” Willow asked as they slowly helped her inside.

“Yeah, I guess,” Tara said.

“Your eyes are going to swell a bit along with a knot along your jaw,” Giles said when they got inside. “So, we keep Dawn out of the state and hopefully outlast that wench.”

“Personally, I think we should bundle everyone up in a plane and go to my island,” Angelique suggested.

“That might be a good idea,” Giles agreed.

“She was surprised I'm a vampire,” Tara said. “I remembered how she responded to Spike.”

“So, most of us will probably be a target,” Giles said. “Especially anyone new... Quentin.”

“Give me your keys,” Angelique said. “You get the weapons, I'll start the car.”

“We should go with you!” Willow exclaimed.

“No, stay with Tara,” Giles said. “She injured Glory, that insane bitch might come back.”

“But weapons don't work against her!” Willow protested.

“Magical ones might,” Giles said as he went to the hall closet. “I've Buffy's sword, the one that was blessed. It might help. Hopefully, we'll find she hasn't followed Quentin to the hospital.”

“Stay in touch, damnit!”

“Will do,” Giles promised and dashed outside the mansion and jumped into his car as Angelique pulled up to the curb and then took off.

# # # #

COLLINSPORT, MAINE

“Mom, I don't care about your hair, just so you're okay,” Dawn insisted on the phone David and Carolyn explained some of the business workings to Barnabas. Amy and Roxanne were going over old family histories on the other side of the parlor.

“They don't think I'll need surgery but they're not sure yet,” Joyce said.

“Even if you do, it'll be okay,” Dawn said. “Are you sure you don't want me there?”

“Of course I want you here,” Joyce said. “But you'd be doing the same thing here as you are there, worrying. With you safely out of state it takes a lot of pressure off of your sister and the others. That is helping everyone, baby.”

“Okay,” Dawn said. “Carolyn wants everyone to come out here for Christmas and the place is definitely big enough. I mean, it's huge! Even with the west wing being closed off.”

“Wings, wow,” Joyce responded. “I've never seen New England.”

“You'll think about it?” Dawn asked. “Wait until you meet Amy, David, Maggie and Joe. We'll get to meet everyone's kids too.”

“How is Barnabas doing?” Joyce asked. “I haven't had a real chance to talk to him and get to know him. How are his hands?”

“Everyone is kinda worried,” Dawn said softly as she stepped away from the parlor door. “They aren't healing as fast as a vampire's injuries should.”

“What could be causing that?”

“He hasn't... uh, had enough sustenance,” Dawn said. “He's only gone out for that to a nearby farm twice since we've been here. Carolyn is going to see if she can get some blood in from the butcher by saying she wants to try blood pudding or sausages or something for her English cousins.”

“That's a good idea,” Joyce agreed. “I don't know why but I trust him with your safety. Buffy says she got the immediate impression that he's very protective of what he considers his and that he's adopted you.”

“Yeah, all of us really but me, Willow and Tara especially,” Dawn agreed. “I miss you, Mom.”

“I miss you, honey,” Joyce said. “Oh, here comes dinner. Call me when you're ready for bed. Remember, I love you more than anything.”

“I love you too, Mom,” Dawn responded. “I'll call later.”

# # # #

SUNNYDALE, CALIFORNIA

Quentin got out of his rental car with a bag of Italian food and a gym bag of necessities for Buffy and began whistling as he headed for the doors of the hospital.

# # # # #

Giles and Angelique cruised the parking lot slowly at the hospital five minutes later.

“There's the rental,” Giles said, pointing. They parked close to Quentin's car and Giles ran over and circled the car. “Let's hope he's inside the hospital.”

Angelique nodded as her eyes darted around. Not only did they have to worry about Glory but they had to worry about Nicholas as well, after all.

“No,” Angelique said softly and pulled a gym bag out from under a bush close to the hospital entrance. “There's a bag of take out as well.”

“Damn, let's see if he dropped everything and made it inside,” Giles suggested.

Vampire and Watcher found Buffy on the 2^nd floor in Joyce's room.

Buffy smiled when Giles opened the door and glanced in.

“Hey, Giles,” she said and then frowned.

“Hullo,” Giles said. “We brought some things to make you more comfortable here. Could I borrow you for about an hour, however?”

“Mom?”

“Go, I'll be fine,” Joyce said. “I've had my dinner and I'm feeling all right, no headaches at all.”

“Angelique is going to stay and keep her company,” Giles said. “She can discuss fashion and art with Joyce.”

“Fashion?” Joyce asked as the vampire walked in.

“My married name is Rumson,” Angelique responded.

“Oh my! I love your magazines.”

Buffy stepped into the hall. “What's wrong?” she whispered.

Giles pulled her down the hall towards the elevators.

“Quentin was bringing this and food to you,” Giles explained. “His car is in the lot and this was under a bush. Glory came to the mansion earlier and tried to grab Tara saying that Tara is the newest in our group but she discovered Tara is a vampire. That led me to worry about Quentin.”

“And now he's missing,” Buffy said. “Come on, let's go and check out that apartment where she was. Maybe there's a clue as to where she went. Thanks for having Angelique sit with my Mom.”

“Seemed like a good solution,” Giles said. “Wait until I tell you about how Glory left the yard of the mansion.”

Slayer and Watcher trotted down the stairs to the ground floor and quickly made their way outside.

“Wait,” Giles said with a frown. “I thought I saw something move over near the dumpster over there.”

“Probably a vampire or demon but let's check it out.”

Watcher and Slayer circled wide around the dumpster and both stopped, stunned at the sight of Glory pulling Quentin up to his knees from behind by his hair and he had been beaten quite badly.

“No!” Buffy whispered.

Before she could move Glory jammed her fingers into Quentin's head, causing him to scream.

Buffy covered the distance quickly and knocked Glory away from Quentin, hitting the hell-god repeatedly.

Giles pulled a barely conscious Quentin around the dumpster, away from the fight.

Glory shook her head and backhanded Buffy into the side of the dumpster and then again.

When Buffy's vision cleared Glory was nowhere in sight.

“Quentin,” she said softly. She stepped around the edge of the dumpster and found Giles helping Quentin sit up. “Is he....?”

How the hell did you ask if your boyfriend was now going to be a raving lunatic?

“Wow, she packs quite a punch,” Quentin said as he shook his head.

Giles looked up at the Slayer with a confused look. “Are you all right?”

“I feel like I was run over by a bulldozer but I think so,” Quentin said.

“You.... don't feel weird or have weird thoughts?” Buffy asked as she and Giles helped Quentin stand up.

“Weird? No, not really,” Quentin said. “I've had broken ribs before. Why?”

“Let's get him inside and get those ribs wrapped,” Giles suggested.

“She did the brain sucking thing on you,” Buffy explained.

“But...I seem to be thinking clearly,” Quentin replied.

“There must be something about him that made him immune to that attack,” Giles said. “Tell us what happened after we get you out of the ER.”

“All right,” Quentin agreed. “I did bring dinner and your clothes.”

“We found them,” Giles said as they walked inside. “The gym bag is up in Joyce's room.”

“I hate hospitals,” Quentin muttered.

# # # #

COLLINWOOD, COLLINSPORT, MAINE

Barnabas stepped out onto the terrace and sat down next to Dawn.

“Are you all right?” he asked.

“I guess,” Dawn said. “Mom sounds okay. It's just hard. I know it's better for everyone if I'm here it's just hard.”

“I understand,” Barnabas said. “Would you like to go back for a day or so and then return here?”

“That might work,” Dawn said after a moment. “Not just yet. I'll try and stick it out. I mean, its not like this is a horrible place. The place is great and everyone is fantastic.”

“I think so as well,” Barnabas said. “I grew up and died in the Old House.”

“We were talking about the family history, there was a lot of tragedy over the years.”

“Yes, and the family doesn't know the real story of how the family was almost destroyed when I died,” Barnabas commented. “Carolyn, David, Thomas and Quentin know that I didn't go to England in 1795. The others don't and they don't know that my mother committed suicide. My father ensured that the history books wouldn't tell anything of the real tale.”

“I kinda figured out that history books shouldn't be taken as totally true,” Dawn said.

“I would agree,” Barnabas replied.

“Can I ask something?”

“Of course,” Barnabas said.

“What's up with your hands?”

“Ah, people are worrying?” Barnabas ventured. “When I was being held I was injured. There was part of a wooden arrow in my shoulder and I was hanging by my wrists. The wood... acted as a poison of sorts and I was starved and in pain. I reached that point after being locked away in 1795. I almost killed Willie that first night. Having the cross removed from above me roused me enough to attack him. This time it wasn't.”

“What happened?” Dawn asked.

“Roxanne cut her neck and her blood was enough to wake me and I bit her without even knowing who it was,” Barnabas said. “The wood hurt like hell and reduced my vampiric healing abilities. The hands... I stopped feeling them after the first night. I have downplayed how bad they were injured.”

“You sound like Buffy,” Dawn commented. “Will your hands heal?”

“They're improving every night,” Barnabas said. “I may not be up to strength for a week, however.”

“Good,” Dawn said. “Thanks, by the way. For letting me come with you, I mean.”

“My pleasure, totally,” Barnabas said. “You and the others are family now. This is new, you know. We've been on the move for decades, never getting close to anyone other than Thomas. Reconnecting with family and expanding my.... what do you call it?”

“Extended family? People you actually want in your family,” Dawn suggested.

“Yes, exactly,” Barnabas said. “It feels wonderful.”

“Cool.”

# # # # #

SUNNYDALE, CALIFORNIA

Quentin smiled as he stepped out of the treatment area of the Emergency room at the hospital. He slowly buttoned his shirt over his wrapped ribs.

“I'm done,” he told Buffy and Giles. “Three cracked ribs, two black eyes, one broken finger. I'm still alive and have all of my mind.”

“Those last two are important,” Buffy said softly and kissed him gently.

“Let's go up and see Joyce,” Giles suggested.

“What happened?” Giles asked once they were in the elevator.

“I started for the doors and she was suddenly behind me,” Quentin said. “When I turned she hit me and I dropped what I was carrying. Before I could get up she kicked me in the ribs, pulled me up and threw me over the dumpster.”

“Wow,” Buffy reacted.

“She said I had to be the key since I wasn't a vampire,” Quentin continued. “She waved her hand in front of me and it felt like.... static electricity. Then she backhanded me and then grabbed my hand and snapped my finger back and over.”

“Ow,” Giles muttered. He knew about broken fingers....

“She asked me what the hell I was. How could I be as old as I am and be exposed to almost every sin and blackness there is,” Quentin said as the elevator stopped. “I refused to tell her anything.”

“She didn't know you're a werewolf but she knew you're an immortal,” Giles said thoughtfully.

“Hey, Mom,” Buffy said as she opened the door to her mother's room.

Angelique and Joyce smiled and the vampire stood up.

“Quentin! What on earth?” Joyce exclaimed.

“Glory decided to see if I was the Key,” Quentin answered truthfully. “She was upset when she found I wasn't.”

“Are you all right?” Angelique asked.

“I will be,” he replied.

“It seems as if magic might have an affect on her,” Giles pondered. “Spike was able to hold her for a moment, and Buffy used a magical hammer to hit her and it stunned her for a moment.”

“And Will and Tara sent her traveling with magic,” Buffy added.

Giles nodded. “Aside from Willow and Tara transporting her somewhere else, the other efforts were only momentarily successful. We need to find something that will last longer than a few seconds.”

“And we need to find a way to stop Nicholas Blair, Tom Jennings and that bartender,” Buffy added.

“Bartender?” Joyce asked.

“The bartender that Barnabas was seeing,” Buffy said. “She was beaten up and was here in the hospital when someone ripped her throat out. Her body disappeared.”

“Vampire,” Angelique suggested and Buffy nodded.

“A college student was drained last night,” Giles added.

“Damn,” Angelique said. “I'm glad Barnabas isn't here. He'd blame himself for her being turned into a vampire.”

“How the hell do we stop all of them?” Buffy asked.