Dark are the Shadows
Ms. Hunter Ash
ripperbard7@yahoo.com
frost29@post.com
no copyright infringement intended - this is for fun and entertainment
pairings: Buffy/Quentin, Willow/Tara, Xander/Anya, Julia/Thomas, Barnabas/Roxanne, Maggie/Joe
# # #
COLLINSPORT, MAINE
Barnabas wrapped his arms around Roxanne in the garden of Collinwood. He rested his chin on her shoulder as she leaned back into him.
“I love you, Roxanne,” he said softly.
“I love you, Barnabas,” the redhead said and held his arms close. “I want it to be soon.”
“I know,” Barnabas said. “Tomorrow should be clear and Carolyn has offered to call the farmer caring for the stock to the phone tomorrow night for a long conversation.”
Roxanne turned in his arms quickly and looked up at him. “Tonight?”
Barnabas nodded. “If you wish, or do you want more days in the sun?”
“I want to be with you totally,” Roxanne said and kissed him firmly. She pulled back with a frown. "Should we wait until the blood is arriving regularly? You need it so frequently and so will I for a week."
Barnabas frowned. "Maggie says things should become routine within a week but we should be able to access the animals at one of the farms. Shall we wait three nights until the first butcher delivery?"
Roxanne thought for a minute and nodded. "God, this is going to be hard! I hate waiting!"
"You waited for the perfect stranger in 1840," Barnabas said with a chuckle.
Roxanne laughed and kissed him again.
"Spend the next few days in as much sun you can and enjoy all the food you might miss, my love," Barnabas said softly.
"And I'll spend the nights in your arms," Roxanne promised.
# # #
SUNNYDALE, CALIFORNIA
"Your solution was perfect," Giles said to Buffy as he sat on the sofa with Joyce on one side and Angelique on the other. Dawn was sitting on the floor between Giles' and Joyce's legs.
"I figured combining our recent experiences might work," Buffy said.
"Using your boyfriend kicked it over into our favor," Dr. Sam commented. "He seemed to actually hurt the kid."
Buffy nodded. "Glory was unable to suck his mental cohesion and one of the demons helping that sorcerer that wanted to sacrifice Tara was afraid of werewolves and he couldn't do magic against a werewolf that Angel brought over. I thought Quentin might be able to keep him busy until we could start pounding."
"We'll sit down with everyone tomorrow and write up the report," Mark suggested. "We don't want to include anything that might cause you problems later."
"Thanks, we appreciate it," Buffy said. "What happens now?"
"Angela, Liu and me are heading back to San Francisco and work on training a couple new team members," Mark answered. "Dr. Sam wants to stay here for a couple of days and talk with all of you about some of the more rare demons and things you've encountered."
"If that's okay," Sam adds quickly.
"I don't have a problem with that," Buffy responded.
"I'm all right with it," Giles said and Willow, Tara, Xander and Anya nodded.
"And with that, we're heading to the rental house," Mark said as he stood up. "We'll see everyone tomorrow."
"Night, guys," Willow said with a yawn.
"We're calling it an early night too," Xander said.
"Sounds like a plan," Buffy said. "Quentin, want to run Mom and Dawnie home with me?"
"Absolutely," the werewolf answered.
Angelique stood up and pulled Giles to his feet. "Good night, everyone."
Giles kissed Joyce's cheek and hugged Dawn. "Night."
# # #
COLLINSPORT, MAINE
"It's almost sunrise,"
Barnabas whispered as Roxanne lay in his arms.
Roxanne nodded and touched his cheek. "Take what you need, my love, then we'll sleep."
Barnabas leaned up and kissed her gently. He nuzzled her neck and felt his fangs extending. Roxanne's body jerked as her lover's fangs reopened previous throat wounds and she pulled him closer.
# # # #
SUNNYDALE, CALIFORNIA
Giles blinked and then sat up slowly. He was surprised to find he was alone in the bed. A quick glance at his watch told him it was 10 a.m.
He got dressed in a pair of sweats, t-shirt and sandals.
He found Buffy awake and sitting in the living room. "Hullo, you seem to be waiting for something?"
"Yeah, I am," Buffy said and got up. She handed Giles an unsealed envelope.
Giles frowned and pulled a sheet of paper out of the envelope and began reading.
//Rupert, I'm leaving for awhile. I will see you beginning at the winter break. Please come to Maine or I shall come to California if you still want me in two months. I love you more than anything. I need out of Sunnydale and I feel you need to settle back in with your kids and your family. I also find I'm not insanely jealous as I was with Barnabas. Perhaps I am maturing a bit. I love you, Rupert, and I am always here for a phone call until I see you again. Be well, my love.//
Giles sat down and reread the letter. "When?"
"I had an envelope on my door this morning," Buffy said. "I figure she left just after you fell asleep. She can be pretty damned quiet. Her note said to read yours and be here for you and to have my Mom call her."
"I don't understand," Giles said softly.
"The note said for you to call tonight," Buffy said. "I'm not sure if having the Watchers here is making her nervous or...."
“Or?”
"Or her serious feelings for you are scaring her," Buffy suggested.
“Damn,” Giles muttered.
“How can I help?” Buffy asked.
“I don't know,” Giles said. “I'm not going to dash to the island, I'm not even sure that's where she'll be. She is right about me needing to reconnect to all of you and into being a Watcher again.”
“Stay at the house tonight,” Buffy suggested. “Everyone here is paired off, that can be...depressing.”
Giles hesitated and then nodded. “Could you let the others know? I don't want to field questions I don't have answers to yet.”
“You bet,” Buffy said. “Mom said she's planning paprika chicken tonight. I'm going out to dinner with Quentin.”
“All right,” Giles said and then sighed. “Bollocks. I knew it was coming just not this soon.”
“Do you want to see her over break?” Buffy asked.
“Yes,” Giles said. “Besides, snow will do all of us some good.”
“Yeah? You haven't had to seek shelter in a coffin!”
Giles chuckled.
# # # #
Roxanne took another sip of coffee and looked up as Amy Jennings walked in. "Hi, is Elizabeth down at the Old House?"
"Yes," Amy said as she sat down. "Thomas is helping her with math. It's not my strong suit."
"Mine either," Roxanne commented. "Art and English were mine."
"Me too," Amy agreed. "You look a little tired today."
"I am," Roxanne admitted and absently pulled at her turtleneck.
"Are you going to become a vampire soon?" Amy asked. "Sorry for being blunt."
"No problem," Roxanne said and nodded. "Once a steady source of blood is set in place."
"Good."
Roxanne raised her eyebrows. "People normally wouldn't encourage someone to become a vampire."
"Well, it's better if it happens sooner than dragging it out because you're going to get sick soon," Amy said. "I've been kinda reading and talking with Carolyn. She told me how bad Maggie was when she...was drained too often."
"I know," Roxanne said softly. "Barnabas would prefer to wait so I can remain human longer but I want back the way I was."
"It is hard?" Amy asked. "My brother Tom became a vampire and died before I came to Collinwood."
"Being a vampire or dying?" Roxanne asked.
"Both, I guess," Amy said. "It's okay if you don't want to answer anything."
"Thanks," Roxanne said. "I just remember feeling very weak and having trouble catching my breath and falling asleep. Waking up was hard. I didn't remember anything except my name and a silver cane. I didn't even realize I was a vampire. You know the story, I lost my memory in the....gate between two universes. I learned what I was and how to survive without killing. Being helpless during the day, being afraid of certain objects and the sun.... that's hard.”
"And when you can't get blood from a butcher?"
Roxanne sighed. "Then you have to work for it in a way. Seduction is somewhat easy for us but that doesn't make it any less....ugh. A bit like a prostitute going to work without the sex."
Amy's eyebrows rose. "Well, everyone has their limit."
Roxanne giggled and in a moment both women were laughing.
# # # #
SUNNYDALE, CALIFORNIA
Giles debated whether he should knock at the Summers home or not. He didn't live there but he did technically....
He was surprised when the door opened and Dawn rushed out and hugged him tightly.
"Hullo," he said. "What's wrong?"
"Just worried about you!" Dawn said. "Come on, Mom is making lunch. Buffy said that creepy guy with the golems won't be back."
Giles nodded as they stepped inside. "His father, an actual minor god or demon, took him away after we beat the kid."
"Are you okay?"
"Physically, I will be," Giles said. "The wrist and fingers throb a bit but I think they're healing well. Mentally, I'm dealing with nightmares. Emotionally, you are aware Angelique left, yes? Well, I'll live."
"Come on, Mom is in the kitchen," Dawn urged. "She's making roast beef sandwiches for lunch."
"Sounds good," Giles said and followed the teenager into the kitchen. "Hullo."
"Hello, Ru," Joyce said with a smile. "You're just in time for lunch."
"Yeah, I slept late," Giles said. “I take it everyone here knows?”
"Yes, Angelique called late last night,” Joyce said. “She explained she was leaving and to please take care of you. Also that she has no problem with us spending time together. Angelique apologized for calling so late, by the way.”
“I heard the phone ringing and was worried,” Dawn added. “Phone calls in the middle of the night usually mean someone's hurt bad. Or it's dad forgetting about time differences, when he used to call, I mean.”
“She said for you to call an hour after dark in Maine,” Joyce said. “Come sit at the breakfast table. Roast beef sandwiches, potato salad and homemade cookies.”
“Sounds wonderful,” Giles said and sat down.
“Ru, Buffy says that Willow and Tara will be staying at the store at night and Willow and Buffy will be in school,” Joyce said a few minutes into lunch. “Xander and Anya will be at work. I know you go running in the morning and ignore breakfast before going into the shop.”
“I'll admit that,” Giles agreed.
“Stay here with us,” Joyce urged. “You shouldn't go out on patrol with a broken wrist and you'll be stuck at the mansion being bored at night. You can sleep on the futon in the den.”
Giles nodded after a few moments.
Dawn looked down as she tried to suppress a smile.
“I'll go back and pack up a few things,” Giles said. “Perhaps this weekend I can gather everyone to move me out of my condo and most things to the mansion.”
“Sounds like a good idea,” Joyce said. She saw him glance at his watch. “You've five hours before you can call.”
Giles nodded. “Want to come with me? Since I can't carry much with one hand?”
“I think we'd be delighted.”
# # # #
COLLINSPORT, MAINE
Barnabas glanced over as someone joined him as he looked out over Widow's Hill. "Good evening," he said to Julia.
"Hello," she responded and they moved to a bench. "Carolyn said Maggie will start getting regular blood shipments starting tomorrow."
"That's good to hear," Barnabas said.
"Are you and Roxanne...."
"Am I going to turn her into a vampire?" Barnabas asked. "Yes, very soon. We'll probably stay at the big house until winter break. It wouldn't be fair to ask Thomas to be responsible for all three of us now his leg is healing and he'll be roaming around the grounds."
Julia nodded. "Any time you two want to move in is fine. Did you ever think we'd be here again?"
"Not while Carolyn, David, Maggie and Joe were alive," Barnabas said. "Julia, I am sorry for everything. I still love you."
"I know, Barnabas," Julia said and rested her head on his shoulder. "You never stopped loving Josette, Vicki or Roxanne but especially Roxanne after she accepted what you are. I'll always love you, you know."
"Same," Barnabas replied.
"I'm not asking to get back together," Julia said after a moment. "I'm not sure we can after everything that's happened over the last two months. Just.... be happy."
"I will try my best," Barnabas said. "Which includes accepting what I am and how it can be advantageous."
"I think you'll have a better time of it if you do," Julia commented.
"You're right, as usual," Barnabas said with a smile.
Julia chuckled. "Where's Roxanne?"
"Helping Carolyn with dinner," her husband replied. "I just needed to....brood a bit, I'm attempting to come to terms with willingly changing Roxanne into a vampire. You were the only one I meant to turn after I began changing in 1968."
"And are you comfortable with changing her?" Julia asked.
"I believe so," Barnabas said. "I'd rather not let her waste away from being fed on too often."
Julia stood up. “Then go spend some time with her. Thomas will bring some blood over tomorrow.”
Barnabas stood up and kissed her gently. “See you tomorrow night or next.”
# # # #
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