Dark are the Shadows
Ms Hunter Ash
no copyright infringement intended. Original characters are mine, the others belong to their respective companies.
Rating: PG13
Pairings: Buffy/Quentin, Barnabas/Roxanne, Willow/Tara, Julia/Thomas, Xander/Anya, Maggie/Joe
# # # #
SUNNYDALE, CALIFORNIA
“Wow, that was....” Xander said softly.
“Scary,” Willow said. “We might have lost Giles and our vampire and werewolves if they went on the run or...”
“If they'd been captured,” Tara said.
“We have to get the Initiative out of Sunnydale,” Xander said. “They're suspicious of Giles, he could disappear and the US government would deny there ever was an Initiative.”
“I agree,” Willow said. “But how? Do you think the Council could make them leave?”
“Maybe,” Xander said thoughtfully. “Who did Giles call that made Travers change his tune. Maybe that would work to get the Initiative out of here.”
# # # #
COLLINSPORT, MAINE
“Giles, what were you and Travers talking about how you take after your father?” Dawn asked.
Giles winced and shook his head as he pulled his glasses off.
“Perhaps Rupert will allow me,” Travers said. “When Rupert began to recover from the traumatic events where a friend was killed and from our.... heavy handed approach to pulling him into line the psych reports suggested that he might have the same temperament as his father. It's something that agencies look for in some field agents and Special Forces members. Those who are capable of doing what is referred to as wet work.”
“What does that mean?” Buffy asked with a frown.
“Men and women who can kill on command or out of necessity,” Travers said. “There are times when the Council becomes aware of sorcerers or demons who pass as humans that... well, need to be dealt with but quietly. Unlike your hellmouth, people in the outside world do ask questions when someone dies. We further tested Rupert and it was discovered that because of the conditioning he could shift from.... one mind-set to another.”
“It's called alters,” Giles said softly. “Usually seen in traumatized children and teens. Not quite to a split personality but... close enough to set the...main person aside and... bloody hell.”
“Rupert would find it difficult to kill someone on the street without an obvious threat,” Travers continued. “If someone he cared about was in danger or the world was in danger, he could do whatever was necessary. He couldn't shift enough to become an assassin so that potential role with the Council was abandoned. There have been suspicions that he could potentially slip into his street persona easily.”
“Ripper?” Buffy asked. “Ethan Rayne called him that.”
“Yes,” Travers said with a nod.
Giles was grateful that Buffy didn't bring up bespelled candy and Giles' regression to Ripper.
“And Rupert has told me tonight about the human host for the entity Glory,” Travers added.
“Dr. Ben?” Buffy asked. “What?”
“No way in hell that insane bint would not come seeking revenge,” Giles said softly. “You couldn't stop them once they shifted back to him.”
“And I approve,” Travers commented.
“You killed him?” Dawn asked, her eyes widening.
“Yes,” Giles said. “I wouldn't risk letting him live with her. Do you think he could hold her back forever?”
“No,” Dawn said softly.
“I need to stretch my legs, I'll bring some more tea and coffee in,” Giles said as he got up and went to the coffee cart. “Quentin T can tell you more about my father if he wishes, he knows almost more than I do.”
Buffy got up and followed her Watcher into the kitchen. “Giles?”
It took a moment before he turned to look at Buffy.
“What is it? You're totally freaked out and it's kinda...scary.”
“Quentin lied,” Giles said softly.
“Color me surprised,” Buffy muttered.. “What about?”
“They didn't determine I wasn't suited as an assassin,” Giles said softly. “I was suited to it. I take after my father, I suppose. They became alarmed at the....shifting between personas and feared a break-down. They reinforced the training to be an obedient Watcher and pulled me from the field for a time. I got a post at the museum and then was given the assignment to Sunnydale.”
“You...killed people?” Buffy asked softly.
“Yes,” Giles responded. “Dangerous sorcerers that had killed a number of field Watchers and Potentials. The assignments saved lives but it wore at me. I never wanted any of you to know.”
“Giles...we love you,” Buffy said gently. “I get why you killed Dr. Ben. You can tell us anything, you know.”
“I'm not sure about that,” Giles said after a moment.
“I'll take the coffee and tea in while you pull your fangs back in,” Buffy suggested. “That would probably freak Travers right the hell off Widow's Hill.”
“Oh damn, all right.”
# # # #
SUNNYDALE, CALIFORNIA
Xander put the call on speaker and Tara and Willow drew closer to Anya's hospital bed.
“So everything is going to be okay back there?” Xander asked.
“Yeah,” Buffy's voice said. “The Council isn't going to try and take Giles away and they won't move against the families here. Hang on a sec, guys.”
Buffy moved closer to a window in the small breakfast area. She had taken the cart back into the parlor and had stepped out to call and let the Scooby gang know what was happening.
The Slayer frowned at the sight of a bundled up Giles heading out of the kitchen door and there was a bottle in his gloved hand. “Damn.”
“Okay, guys, how are things there?” she asked.
“We're hanging in there,” Xander responded. “We haven't seen the Watchers since Willow told them to take a hike and call you or Giles for intel on him.”
“Maybe they'll back off now that the Council isn't out to find out if Giles is still human,” Buffy suggested.
“What was that stuff about his father?” Willow asked.
“I'll tell you guys tomorrow,” Buffy said. “I need to get back to Travers and make sure he isn't planning anything underhanded. Hang in there.”
“Okay, talk to you tomorrow,” Xander said and clicked off the call. “Well, she's talking to us again.... sorta.”
“That's an improvement,” Anya commented.
# # # #
COLLINSPORT, MAINE
Thomas raised his eyebrows at the sight of a bundled up Giles standing on the doorstep of the Old House with bottle in hand.
“Got room by your fire?”
“Yeah, of course,” Thomas responded and motioned the Watcher inside. “Are you all right?”
“I'm... it feels like live wires inside,” Giles said as they entered the main room. “I was almost kidnapped, never to be seen by anyone outside of Council researchers and then we had to convince my boss who ordered that and who personally showed up to see it done to work with us, not against us. It was that or...one of us would ensure the Council needed a new head Watcher and I would go on the run. Along with everyone else in danger.”
“Me, Julia, Barnabas and Roxanne,” Thomas ventured. “Do they know about Quentin and Angelique?”
“Roxanne wouldn't have to leave, she's human,” Giles pointed out.
“You've seen how he looks at her,” Thomas countered. “She went to hell to protect him, think she'd let him leave without her?”
“No, you're right.”
“You need to drink alone? I can hang out in the other room,” Thomas offered.
“I wouldn't mind the company,” Giles answered. “There were just a lot of people and...I keep trying to shift and I don't know to which persona.”
“Crack open the bottle and explain that.”
# # # #
SUNNYDALE, CALIFORNIA
The four Scooby members finished off the last of the pizza and looked up when the door to Anya's hospital room started to open, they were expecting perhaps a nurse.
Eyebrows went up in surprise when Raquel stuck her head in.
“Hi, can I come in and visit?” she asked.
“Sure, come on in,” Willow urged.
“I called the hospital and they said Anya was going to be okay,” Raquel said as she entered. “I wanted to see you and thank you and Xander for stepping in. I'm not sure I could have taken three vampires.”
“You're very welcome,” Anya said.
“I can't believe those two were just gonna stand there,” Xander complained. “They could have driven the vampires off with their crosses.”
“Watchers don't step in,” Raquel said. “Usually its only one vampire.”
“Partially open hellmouth,” Willow said. “There's a lot more demons and vampires here than in other small towns.”
“Does Buffy's Watcher step in?” the young Potential Slayer asked.
“From the first,” Xander said with a nod.
“He tried to take her place and face an ancient master when it was prophesied that Buffy would be killed,” Willow added.
“But...that would be suicide,” Raquel said as her eyes widened.
“Yeah and he still tried it,” Xander said.
“What happened?”
“Buffy knocked him cold, went out to face the Master,” Xander explained. “And died. I saved her with CPR.”
“That's when Kendra was called, right?” Raquel asked.
“Yeah,” Xander said. “And then Faith.”
“Does Mr. Giles get banged up a lot?”
“Boy, does he! Let us tell you....”
# # # #
COLLINSPORT, MAINE
Buffy walked back into the parlor and Joyce frowned. “Where's Rupert?”
“He went out for a walk,” Buffy replied.
“With a bottle?” Travers asked. “Yes, I do know Rupert, possibly more than he knows himself at times. I hope he's not outside drinking, he'll freeze.”
“He had his coat on,” Buffy said.
“He's probably going down to the Old House,” Carolyn suggested.
“If he did we'll throw a blanket over him and he can come back up here in the morning with a hang over,” Julia said.
“Thank you,” Joyce said softly.
“Will he be okay?” Dawn asked her mother.
“He should be,” Travers answered. “Just expect some nightmares for awhile. Now, since we've all agreed to work together, I think it's time I returned to the hotel. If you wouldn't mind, Mr & Mrs Haskell.”
“No, I have to be up early for work,” Joe replied. “We shut down half the plant in the winter. We don't pack as many fish this season.”
“And you're a manager, Mr. Collins?”
“Yes, and I'm exploring the possibility of us expanding the business to the west coast,” Quentin answered.
“In addition to the South American branch,” Travers added. “Don't look so surprised or alarmed, I wasn't going to walk in here without knowing a bit about who could possibly be here. That's why we waited until it was just Rupert, Mrs Jennings and her granddaughter. We didn't anticipate you being able to get a message out.”
“And just how much investigating did you do?” Carolyn asked with a frown.
“Enough to know that you didn't take your second husband's name, that there are no records of births of a Barnabas or Quentin Collins in the last 100 years and that many in the town steer clear of the family and the home.”
“End your investigation,” Buffy said firmly. “They helped us save the world.”
“Not the Haskells,” Travers commented.
“No, they've saved several of the Collins family over the years,” Carolyn said. “Without them none of us would be here and the Leviathan would be on their way of breaking through completely into this realm.”
“All right, the records will be sealed,” Travers said after a moment. “Available only to the Elder Council if the Head Watcher deems it necessary. We ignore the vampire in Los Angeles, we can ignore a family in a small fishing village in Maine.”
“It is getting late,” Joyce said. “Mr. Travers, perhaps you could join us for breakfast here.”
“I thought you'd be glad to be rid of me.”
“Usually, but I think this is a good opportunity for you to actually talk with my daughter,” Joyce said. “You haven't talked to her very much. Perhaps its time you got to know your Slayer and just how remarkable she is. Stop trying to fit her into your box and see how she is beyond it.”
“All right, what time?”
“8am,” Carolyn said. “Goodnight everyone. Thank you very much for rescuing Rupert. The entire family would have gone insane.”
“And the Council would discover that we have some resources they don't know about,” Quentin said.
“Come on, Mr. Travers, let's get you to the hotel,” Joe said as everyone exchanged hugs or waves.
“I'm going to head down to the Old House,” Julia said. “Not in human form. I'm not sure I trust his men not to be lurking. Goodnight all.”
“What about Giles, Mom?” Dawn asked Joyce.
“Sometimes men...drown their emotions in alcohol,” Joyce said. “Some women too. He'll be up in the morning.”
“We'll put him in the secret room tonight,” Julia added. “Even if the Watchers got into the Old House they won't find the room nor how to get into the basement. Goodnight.”
Twenty minutes later Barnabas and Roxanne were the only ones left in the parlor.
“We've some time before sunrise, shall we sit by the fire or...?” Barnabas asked.
“Barnabas...”
“Before we start discussing you becoming a vampire again, let me ask something. Do you miss the sun?”
“What? I, uh....”
“And mirrors and not being afraid of a cross?” he asked.
“All right, most of that yes,” Roxanne answered.
“I want you to spend some time in the sun, enjoy being human again,” Barnabas said softly. “I remember what it was like to be human again, how amazing the sunlight felt on my skin. How food tasted and, well, the look on Gerard's face when I walked into the Old House at 2:30 in the afternoon. He was there to kill me and he was expecting a vampire.”
“I'm not going to change my mind about joining you, Barnabas,” Roxanne said firmly. “I love you and I want to be with you. Even now you haven't fed enough. Are you afraid you're going to lose control and bite and feed from me?”
“Yes,” the vampire admitted.
“Then go out for awhile and come back,” Roxanne suggested. “You're not going to drive me away. I'll stay human...for awhile but this conversation isn't over.”
# # # #
Julia stepped inside the Old House and brushed snow off her shoulders. “Tommy?”
“In here.”
The vampire's eyebrows rose at the sight of Giles sitting in a chair with his long legs stretched out and his head thrown back.
“That was quick,” she commented.
“He power pounded several shots,” Thomas said. “He was shaking and any loud noise made him jump nearly out of his skin.”
“I've a feeling there's more to his conditioning to be a Watcher and his tests than we've been told so far,” Julia said.
“Yeah,” Thomas agreed. “Where are we putting him? Do we trust they won't try and come in and grab both of you and where is Barnabas sleeping in the morning?”
“I don't know about Barnabas but I've a feeling that Roxanne will be standing over him with a gun if anyone enters the room,” Julia said. “As for Rupert, we'll put him on the cot in the secret room.”
“And you in the coffin,” Thomas suggested.
“I'll be fine in the basement.”
“That's the first place someone would look and they might get past the locked door,” Thomas protested. “Please.”
“All right,” Julia said. “As long as you get some sleep before morning. How much did he drink?”
Thomas held up the bottle of whiskey and Julia shook her head.
“Men,” she muttered.
“Do you need some blood?”
“I'll warm some,” she said almost absently as she crossed the room and felt for the pulse at Giles' wrist. “He'll likely have a headache in the morning.”
“No doubt,” Thomas agreed. “What's bothering you about all of this?”
“There's just... I understand Rupert's shaking and Buffy's trauma,” she answered as she sat down on the sofa. “Look at everything we've been through in the last month. A week before that and the most we worried about when to move onto a new location before people noticed we were never seen in the day time.”
“And now how many people know about you and him?” Thomas agreed. “I was freaked out about Carolyn and David knowing on top of the Sunnydale bunch. Now a government type group knows about you, Barnabas and they know Angelique is out there even if they don't know her name.”
“And they know something is unusual about Quentin as well,” Julia agreed. “There's also the added stress of Roxanne now being human. You came into this knowing we're vampires, you don't know how tortured Barnabas is over bringing someone into this existence. He turned me out of desperation, we'd been together since 1967.”
“First as antagonists,” Thomas commented and Julia nodded.
“It took awhile for him to realize that we were actually friends,” Julia added. “He was relieved when Roxanne was already a vampire when she reappeared, that took the responsibility off of him in a way.”
“He didn't have to make the choice,” Thomas said softly. “And now?”
“I don't know,” Julia replied. “He'll resist turning her into a vampire and twist himself up in knots over it because he won't let her go, especially after everything we all have been through.”
“And she won't let him go either,” Thomas commented. “It'll come down to him turning her.”
“Considering the danger we've been in recently, I actually hope its sooner rather than later,” Julia added. “You wouldn't think I'd encourage my husband keeping and building a life with someone else, would you?”
“You don't want to see him hurting,” Thomas said and sat down next to her. “Are you all right with letting him go, at least for now?”
“I am,” Julia said and rested her head on his shoulder. “Maybe we could go away for a few days down to the city? He can see again, he's not suicidal and we aren't facing a major crisis. Let's focus on us for a few nights, Tommy.”
“That sounds like a plan.”
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