Dark are the Shadows
Ms. Hunter Ash
ripperbard7@yahoo.com
frost29@post.com
rating: PG13
pairings: Buffy/Quentin, Barnabas/Roxanne, Willow/Tara, Xander/Anya, Giles/Angelique, Julia/Thomas, Maggie/Joe
# # #
SUNNYDALE, CALIFORNIA
Buffy and Quentin walked up to the door of the Summers home and he kissed her before she could open the door. Buffy turned and continued the kiss for several moments before looking up into his eyes.
"I could really get used to that," she said softly. "Come on, let's see if everyone wants to go out to dinner."
Buffy opened the door and stepped inside. She put a hand behind her, stopping Quentin as he stepped across the threshold. "Who are you?"
The very tall older man looked up from the knife he was examining with raised eyebrows.
"Well, I could ask the same," he said calmly.
"My house, I get to ask first," Buffy said firmly. "Where's my mom?"
"On a grocery run is how she phrased it."
"Again, who are you?" Buffy demanded.
"Well, I believe that I'm your grandfather," Robert Giles responded. "Technically. Or do you prefer step-grandfather?"
Buffy's eyes widened. "You're Giles' dad?"
"I'm his father, yes," Robert answered. "You must be Buffy and the gentleman behind you?"
"My boyfriend, Quentin," Buffy answered and stepped further into the room, letting Quentin enter the house.
"A man with no last name?" Robert asked with the hint of a smile.
"A man with secrets and a one that isn't keen on government agents knowing them," Quentin said.
"Rupert did say he had told you all I work for the government but had been rather vague about exactly how."
"I think it went like, my father is James Bond," Buffy said.
"Ah, ever the romantic," Robert muttered. "Nothing quite as glamorous but it is fairly accurate. Shall we sit and get to know each other?"
"Okay," Buffy said after a moment. "What do I call you? Baron Giles or something?"
"It would be Lord Giles if I were being rather arrogant," Robert said. "I know American's aren't quite comfortable with noble titles and mine rarely gets used. You can call me Robert, perhaps grandfather later if you become comfortable with it."
"We'll see," Buffy said.
"Want me to get you something to drink?" Quentin offered.
"Soda would be great," Buffy said, her eyes never leaving Robert Giles as he sat down. She relaxed slightly when he set the knife aside.
"Do all your boyfriends have secrets?" Robert asked as Quentin headed for the kitchen.
"Well, the last one was a secret government agent," Buffy said. "You two could have compared notes. The one before that had a curse, not secrets."
"Ah yes, Angel," Robert commented.
"You keep up on Sunnydale news?" Buffy asked as Quentin returned with two sodas and sat down next to her.
"Quentin Travers is kind enough to let me read most of the reports," Robert answered.
"Why?" Quentin asked.
"Because my son's life is in her hands," Robert responded. "Being slightly estranged from him doesn't mean I don't care."
"When did you get in?" Buffy asked after a moment. "Giles didn't mention you were coming."
"He didn't know I was coming," Robert said as he reached for a cup of tea. "I find people aren't as guarded or rehearsed if taken by surprise. He told me he was in trouble, that the Council wanted to kidnap him and never release him because he wasn't quite human any longer because of spell. That was the extent of our conversation. He hasn't called since. I found that a bit alarming."
"And infuriating?" Quentin suggested and Robert nodded.
"That as well," Robert admitted.
"What did Giles say?"
"He told me about the last few months beginning with receiving the box of the Leviathans," Robert said. "Of course I'm sure he left out a bit. He did say that he does wish to continue a relationship with the vampire while living here with your mother. That was surprising."
"Yeah, it's complicated," Buffy said. "I know Giles and Mom really like each other and something might have developed but he's also nuts for the vampire so I haven't a clue what'll happen."
"He did say he married your mother as a stop-gap against the Council demanding he return to England," Robert commented.
"Yeah, he's the best," Buffy said with a smile. "It's a real marriage kinda, he cares about us."
"He said he was providing for the continuing education for you and your sister and doing away with the mortgage on the house," Robert said.
Buffy nodded slowly.
"A good use of funds, I'd wager," Robert said. "He mentioned he had been injured in the fight against that insane deity. How badly?"
“You know those old movies about knights jousting?” Buffy asked and Robert nodded.
“Yes, with javelins.”
“Giles was impaled with one that was rammed through the side of an RV,” Buffy said. “We almost lost him.”
“But.... he said he was in the fight against Glory the next night,” Robert protested.
“Yeah, he was and broke his stitches,” Quentin answered.
“He did?” Buffy asked him.
“Yeah,” Quentin said softly. “He went back to the ER and got stitched up again.”
“Wow,” Buffy said softly. She looked at Robert. “He's like that. Even when he's pretty sure we won't win, he's right there with us.”
“How long are you staying?” Quentin asked Robert.
“I'm not sure, I'm on leave,” the older man explained. “In between assignments.”
“What do you do?” Buffy asked. “I mean, is it like James Bond?”
“Some of it,” Robert answered. “Its a bit more like your CIA.”
“Wow,” Buffy said and then cocked her head as Quentin raised his.
“I take it my son and daughter-in-law are back,” Robert said with a laugh.
"Sounds like," Buffy said with a nod.
"Good, we can all go out for dinner later," Robert Giles suggested.
# # # #
COLLINSPORT, MAINE
Carolyn looked up from some paperwork while sitting at the desk in the parlor at the sound of a knock. "I've got it!" she yelled and went to the door and opened it. "Hello, Julia, you don't have to knock, you know."
"Force of habit after all these years," Julia said as she stepped in. "Is Barnabas around?"
"Uh, they haven't been down tonight," Carolyn said as they went into the parlor. "I'm not sure they'll be down. I left some blood up there this evening. Call it a hunch."
"Ah, he changed Roxanne last night?" Julia asked.
"I think so," Carolyn responded. "Did you also know that Angelique is back on her island?"
"No, will she and Rupert come over for an evening soon?"
"No, it's just Angelique and a servant on the island, Rupert is still in California," Carolyn explained. "She called earlier in case we need her help with something. She said that Rupert needs to settle into his life in California for awhile. I got the impression it wasn't his idea."
"Amazing, she's not acting obsessively and she actually offered to help if we need it?" Julia asked, her eyebrows rising.
Carolyn laughed. "She did. Maybe the heroes and Rupert did rub off on her."
Julia chuckled. "We have such unusual lives."
"Tell me about some of your travels and adventures," Carolyn urged.
# # # #
SUNNYDALE, CALIFORNIA
Buffy held Quentin's hand as they approached the mansion.
"Well, dinner with his lordship wasn't bad," she commented. "Giles is really uptight and he's really stressed."
"Probably wasn't easy telling his father that he's not human," Quentin said.
"Yeah," Buffy agreed.
"Are we going on patrol tonight?" he asked.
"If you're up for it," Buffy said. "I can make a quick circuit if you're too stuffed."
"I'm game," Quentin said with a smile.
"Let me drop my backpack inside and grab extra weapons," Buffy said and Quentin leaned against the Jeep.
He smiled when she walked out of the mansion and handed him a stake and short sword which he placed alongside him through the belt, hidden by his coat. "Lead on, MacDuff."
# # # #
COLLINSPORT, MAINE
“Are you all right with Roxanne being a vampire again?” Thomas asked as Julia curled up in his arms in front of the fireplace at the Old House.
“Yes,” Julia responded. “Maybe he'll be more comfortable with being a vampire now. Lord knows I couldn't drag him out of that brooding bit of his.”
Thomas laughed. “And at the same time he could be cold as hell and kill someone easily, especially if they tried to kill you.”
“That's accurate,” she agreed. “You going to be able to be around him when they stay here over winter holidays?”
“I'll have to be,” Thomas said. “There'll be others around like Angelique and Giles. I'm not as mad at Barnabas. I didn't want you hurt.”
“I know,” she said and twisted around slightly and kissed him. “Everyone was going to be hurt no matter how it went once Roxanne returned.”
“Yeah,” Thomas agreed. “You want to go up to Boston for a few nights? Weather is supposed to stay clear.”
“That's a wonderful idea.”
# # # #
SUNNYDALE, CALIFORNIA
Buffy and Quentin turned a corner near the Bronze and hesitated and then heard a second muffled scream at the far side of the parking lot. Both broke into a run.
They saw a young couple being harassed by four vampires. One vampire had the young man by the arms, forcing him watch as the other three vampires pushed the girl back and forth among them, playfully nipping at her while making lewd suggestions to each other.
“You get the boy,” Buffy said and Quentin nodded.
The older Collins ran up behind the vampire holding the young man and hit the vampire in the back of the neck and grabbed the startled creature and threw him away from the college student.
Buffy jumped in the center of the three vampires and pushed the girl to the ground. “Stay there!” She kicked one vampire in the chest and blocked a swing by another and jammed a stake into the chest of the third.
“Get your girl and get out of here!” Quentin told the kid.
“And wear crosses from now on!”
He moved closer in hopes of grabbing one of the vampires Buffy was dealing with and winced at the sound of a gunshot and an impact and flash of pain in his back. Quentin turned and saw the vampire he had tossed to the ground had a pistol in hand and the barrel was smoking.
Buffy staked a second vampire and began exchanging blows with the third. “Quentin?”
“I'm fine,” he said with a literal growl as he shifted into wolf-man form and dived at the vampire before the vamp could fire again.
Vampire growls and screams filled the night along with werewolf growls.
Buffy finished her opponent and turned to help her boyfriend just as the vampire crumbled to dust. The wolfman sat up with a small growl. With a wince and whimper he began changing back to human.
“Well, I hate being shot,” he declared and got up and brushed at his clothes.
“Shot?”
“Don't panic,” he urged. “Remember, unless it's something very disastrous, I don't stay hurt, my painting does.”
“Wow,” Buffy said and extended a hand to help him up. “Where'd the kids go?”
“I told him to grab the girl and get out of here,” Quentin said and reached for her hand. “Buffy?!”
Quentin scrambled to Buffy's side as she fell backwards without a sound.
# # #
“I think she's waking up,” Buffy heard someone saying.
“Get her up and moving,” she heard Xander urging. “Tara, you and me. Let's get her to the pickup before the cops or someone else shows up. Anya, grab those empty darts.”
Buffy moaned as she felt herself dragged to her feet and hustled across the parking lot. “Anya, we'll put her between us. Will and Tara in the back. Let's move!” she heard Xander order.
“They know about the mansion and Buffy's house, what if they come back for her?”
“I don't know, Will,” Xander admitted. “They would have taken her when she was unconscious, right? I mean, they watched over her until we got there.”
“Who?” Buffy mumbled.
“The cell,” Willow said through the small sliding window in the back window of the pickup. “Get us to the cell, we can't let them get near Tara. I'll call and have Giles meet us there.”
“On our way,” Xander said and pulled out of the Bronze parking lot with his lights off for several blocks.
Buffy tried to raise her head. “What happened?”
“Graham called the mansion and said you were down and to come help,” Xander said. “The four of us dashed over and found Graham in full gear watching over you in the shadows. He refused to say how you got there or where Quentin was.”
“Quentin?” Buffy repeated. “Quentin? Where is he?”
“We don't know,” Xander said. “We found you unconscious and trank darts next to you.”
“Trank.... they shot us and took Quentin?”
“Probably a good guess and don't you dare open that door!” he snapped. “Let's get you coherent before you try and take on the U.S. Army.”
“We're getting Tara to the cell in the tomb, the soldiers know about the mansion,” Anya added.
“And Will is calling Giles to get him over there too,” Xander said.
“Okay, then I'm going to rip someone apart,” Buffy said firmly. “I have a headache.”
# # # #
Giles frowned as the conversation between Joyce, Dawn and his father quieted. “She was what? They tranquilized her and Quentin is missing? I'm on my way. Be there as soon as I can. Keep Tara under wraps.”
Giles closed his phone. “The Initiative tranquilized Buffy and Quentin is missing. They then called Xander and had him come pick up Buffy, she's just now walking up.”
“What on earth?” Joyce exclaimed. “Is she okay?”
“Sounds like she is,” Giles said as he placed a knife in his belt behind his back and a semi-automatic pistol in a cross-draw position in his belt in front. “They're rushing Buffy and Tara to the cell. It's possible they'll be looking for Tara.”
“I thought the Initiative was told to keep their hands off your bunch,” Robert commented.
“They were,” Giles agreed. “I'll have her call when I get there.”
He kissed Joyce's cheek and stepped out of the door and headed for a small motorbike he had bought for short trips around town.
Giles reacted instinctively at hearing a slight sound to his left and ducked. He felt something fly over his neck. Then he was tackled to the grass.
“Trank him,” someone whispered urgently. “Keep him quiet!”
Someone had an arm around the Watcher's neck as others tried to grab his wrists.
Giles sank his fangs into the arm trying to hold him.
The man holding him yelled in pain and someone hit Giles on the temple with something solid. The arm was ripped away from his fangs as someone snapped a handcuff over one wrist.
Giles roused himself and pulled his pistol and fired at the nearest body trying to subdue him.
“Simpson is down! His vest took the bullet,” someone said anxiously.
“Get that weapon!” someone else snapped and Giles began wrestling with someone for the pistol.
Then there were sounds of scuffles and shouts.
Giles sat up and saw three black clad soldiers on the ground holding their head or jaws and someone standing almost over the Watcher with a long pipe in his hands.
“This man is off limits and you know it!” Robert yelled. “Unless you want your next posting to be shoveling snow with a spoon in Alaska, get out of here!”
The men got to their feet and helped each other down the sidewalk until they faded into shadows.
Robert watched them closely as Joyce and Dawn ran off the porch and began examining Giles.
“Rupert! You're bleeding.”
“Eh?” he asked. He touched his temple and saw blood on his fingers. “Bollocks.”
“Let's get him inside,” Joyce suggested.
“No, I need to get him to that safe place,” Robert said. “They may make another try at Rupert before I can get this sorted through both governments.”
“Take the motorbike,” Joyce suggested. “You can drive it right into the cemetery around the posts they put up at night.”
“Good idea,” Robert said. “Grab a first-aid kit and some clothes for him in a backpack, quickly.”
“Dad?”
“I'm here, Rupert,” Robert said. “How are you feeling?”
“My head hurts,” Giles complained. “What the hell was that about?”
“I assume they think you're part demon or something especially with the fangs,” Robert said. “They've gone against the agreement they have with your Slayer.”
“I don't believe this,” Giles muttered and moaned when Joyce and Dawn helped him to his feet. He felt Joyce placing a backpack over his shoulders.
“Call when you get there. We love you,” Joyce urged.
“I will,” Giles promised. “I love you both.”
He handed his father the keys to the motorbike and got on the back, wrapping his arms around his father after the bike had been kicked into action.
