This piece of FAN FICTION is written by Ariane Budberg and does not express the views or opinions of TimeWarp fan club. No copyright infringement is intended.

Part IV of VI

He stopped shortly for a moment. "Well, after what Willow and Xander told me... Yes."

"How?"

Giles sat down in his armchair. "You didn't really listen to them, you said you could imagine a relationship with this... Richard and you left them on the schoolyard to take part in a lesson."

Buffy swallowed. "Well, that is strange. At least for me."

"Definitely. But I'm glad you've come over their influence. You see, they're very powerful vampires, even able to establish telepathic links to their victims. So they can find them easier. And now that they've established one of those links on you... I suppose you're in real danger. I suggest you stay with me tonight." Giles stood up again and started putting things from the couch and onto the table. "You can take my bed, I'll sleep here on the couch. Is that alright for you?"

She nodded in approval. "Fine. Can I depend on you waking me tomorrow - I mean, early enough to return home and get different clothes?"

Now that she said it, he also took a closer look at her. She was wearing a translucent, black shirt and a very short, black skirt. To be honest - there was not very much he could not see. Not that he wanted that but he could not avoid it, looking at her. Then he nodded back. "Of course. I wouldn't want the Slayer to show up this way in school."

"Just as I don't want the Watcher to show up this way in school."

Both grinned at each other and then parted without much further words. "Good night, Buffy."

"Sweet dreams of Transsexual, Giles."

He should have known it. Of course, Buffy always had to have the last word.

The next morning was something Buffy would rather have forgotten. Of course, Giles woke her up in time - he was dressed as usual, in a dark suit with a tie and he was not wearing any make-up any more. But of course, she turned around for another "Five minutes" and fell asleep again. So when she woke up again, she did not have enough time to get to school in time. She just managed to change her clothes and run to school. But nevertheless, she was late again, and that on her third day home. Not the best way to show Snyder she was serious - yet she had no time to care for his feelings. She would have to find her class before he did so. And she had to find Willow and Xander - maybe they had found out something else about her two vampires. She had so much to do, and so little time, for tonight she was going to put an end to all of this. Then Richard and his little sister would say hello to oblivion.

For now, she was running along the corridor to reach her English class. Just the moment she reached the door, she heard the bell - thank God, she was still in time! And her teacher was not in sight, either! Somebody really seemed to love her. Buffy ran through the rows and fell down on her chair when the door opened again. She awaited her teacher's face - but it was Giles whose head looked in. He seemed really worried about something. "Buffy! You need to come with me, it's really urgent!"

One of her fellow students - and this time it was not Cordelia, but a girl called Michelle - shouted at him. "So? What do you wanna do with her? Show her the timetable?" Everybody was laughing, but Buffy could not exactly find the funny point. She whispered over to her neighbour Robert Stevens, "Tell Mr. Majors I'm in the library. I'll explain later!" Then she took her bag and hurried out of the room again and into the corridor where she nearly ran into Willow and Xander. They also had this strange, worried look on their faces - and this meant no good. Absolutely no good. "Hello! What's going on here?"

Willow took her at the elbow and led her down the corridor, directing her to the library. "There is something you should know before you start your chase on Richard and his sister. You see, when I said they're known as the Regents of the night, I was not very right."

Willow and Buffy forced the double door to the library open, Giles and Xander in tow. "So what are they then? Do they have another title? Or does it have something to do with these magic powers?" Buffy sat down in one of the armchairs Giles had put around the big desk at the entrance area.

Willow stopped shortly. "No, that isn't the problem. You see, when they've gotten their power back, they won't only be the Regents of the night."

"Which means?" Buffy still could not see where this was leading.

Now Giles finally took the word again. "Buffy, they're going to perform an ancient ritual which has never been completed by anyone. They need to kill a Slayer during that ritual, and afterwards they'll be able to walk in the sunlight."

Now all of this suddenly made sense. Richard had wanted to win her trust to be able to kill her easier, and she had nearly helped him. Vampires who were able to live in daylight were a real menace to the world - and if she could not stop them, nobody could, and this planet would be lost to vampires. And Richard and his sister would be their regents.

No way. They would have to get past her for doing this. And she was not going to let that be easy. Her face got a very determined look and she straightened her shoulders. "Alright. Giles, are they usual vampires until now? I mean, can I kill them the usual way?"

Giles shook his head. "I'm not sure about that. I hope so, but if it's not possible, we may have a problem. On the other hand - they haven't completed the rite yet, so the usual way should be efficient enough."

"Good. What do we know about the ceremony? Do they need anything for it beside me? Anything we can refuse to get them? Come on, Giles, there has to be something I can do beyond playing the lamb being led to slaughter."

And again Giles could only shake his head. "I don't know more. As much as I want to tell you something else, I can't because I don't know. I am afraid we have to do it with this little information."

Buffy looked up. "We?"

"I won't let you go alone, Buffy. This is too much for one alone." Giles' face showed clear sorrow and compassion.

Now this kind of discussion was to come again. Buffy could not stand it anymore. "No, Giles, stop. I am the Slayer - I'll go. Alone. I've managed much more than two vampires."  

"And I am the Watcher. It's my job to see you stay unharmed and alive. You won't go alone." Giles' expression made it very clear that he would not let her go. Even if he had to get them both in handcuffs... Nice idea! But that was another story, as one of his friends used to say. Whatever happened, he would not watch Buffy die because he had not gone with her.

Hm. Seemed as if Giles was really serious this time. Buffy nodded slowly. She had a plan already. And she would do it without Giles because he always was too careful. "Okay, Giles, I see your point. What do you think about tomorrow night? I'd like to get some sleep tonight so I'll be fit for the hunting." Would it work? Would he swallow her bait?

He did. "Okay, Buffy. We'll meet at Restfield cemetery at ten p.m., okay? Then we'll know exactly how and where to find them."

"Fine. Tomorrow night at the graveyard."

Willow and Xander, who had watched the discussion between Buffy and Giles silently, now took the word again. "I'll try and find some new cards of the underground of this town. Surely, they too hide in the caves under the city." Willow switched the computer on. "Maybe I can hack into the Mayor's system..." A small smiled was playing around her mouth when she typed several words into the computer, waiting for a reply from the server.

Xander took a step towards the large bookshelves. "And I'll try to find some news about our couple. Maybe we have overseen a book."

Giles sighed. "Sometimes I feel old and unnecessary." What should he do, now that Buffy's friends were doing the work alone?

And again, Buffy could not hold back a comment. "But not when you're wearing high-heels and stockings, do you?"

Willow and Xander looked up in a mixture of utter shock and disbelief. "You do what???"

Giles closed his eyes for a moment. When he opened them again, he saw two curious faces, waiting for an explanation, and one grinning face that belonged to a very confident person named Buffy. "Do what you wanted to do. I'll explain that later."

Willow, Xander, and Buffy walked along the corridor to the cafeteria. Their stomachs told them that it was definitely time for lunch. Willow still could not believe what she had heard. "You mean, he was wearing suspenders and stockings when you visited him last night? I can't believe that!" She shook her head. "He's not a transvestite or so, is he?"

Xander still looked utterly confused. "I don't know, I mean... I don't know. I didn't have the impression - but after all, this is the country of unlimited possibilities, isn't it?"

"Maybe." Willow seemed lost in thought, strolling along the corridor. "I don't know what but I'm sure I've overseen something." Walking around the corner to the cafeteria, she nearly collided with Cordelia who, of course, had to make a mess about it immediately. "Willow! Can't you watch your step? You need to watch where you're going! Look what you've done to my dress!" She pointed to the large, dark stain on it. "I'd have liked to drink my soda, not having it spilled all over my dress!"

Willow gave her an unnerved smile. "Look, Cordelia, it's just water. It'll be dry within some minutes. And in addition - it's not my fault if you're standing right behind this corner. You know that this is the entrance to the cafeteria, don't you?"

Cordelia obviously grew weary of this discussion. "Look, I'm not interested in your excuses, Willow." Now she turned over to Xander who feared the same attack Willow had received. "And now to you, my dear. I managed to cancel our video night yesterday. We're gonna do it today - and all kinds of excuses are completely out of line, understood?" She gave him a warm smile. "I only wanna spend some time with you, too."

And Xander's heart melted away. How could he have done this to her? How could he have let her down? "Of course, Cordelia." He leant over to her and kissed her slightly. Holding on to him, she wrapped her arms around him and replied his kiss softly while the world around them seemed to disappear. They did neither hear Willow's soft haw nor Buffy's slight chuckle. "Isn't this sweet," Buffy said ironically and felt a stab in her heart in the same moment. This scene reminded her so much of Angel and herself, walking hand in hand over the graveyard at night, stopping by the old morgue to exchange some tender touches... 'Enough,' she told herself. This was not leading anywhere, neither to a solution to her problem nor to lunch. She walked past Cordelia and Xander carefully in order not to disturb the couple and entered the cafeteria. Willow followed her immediately, subconsciously sensing that her friend needed some moral support now. They joined the line behind the counter and waited patiently. Buffy did not dare glancing back to Xander and Cordy; she felt too much emotion dwelling up at this sight. The only thing she could do without becoming really depressed was taking her lunch tablet and looking for a table out of Xander's and Cordelia's sight. After she had sat down beside Willow, she took her sandwich and tried some conversation. "What do you think - are we gonna succeed tonight?" Yep, and again she had made a mistake without even realising it.

Willow looked up from her tablet. "Tonight? I thought we'd do it tomorrow." She paused for a moment, not sure if she interpreted the expression on Buffy's face correctly. But she was afraid so. And this was not nice. "Buffy, you can't do that alone. I won't let you go."

Buffy made a face and took another bite of her sandwich. "Oh, thank you very much, Giles."

"Buffy, I'm serious! Why do you always wanna solve any problem on your own? Why can't you just accept some help?"

"I won't force you to come with me. I wanna do this, and you won't prevent me from doing this. I don't need three people beside me telling me how to kill a vampire." Buffy looked her friend straight in the eyes. "This is my private, little revenge on them. It's not gonna be as easy as before - but you'd be in greater danger than I. I won't get you into this danger, too, is that clear, Willow? I am the Slayer, and I'll have to do this - alone!"

This was her last contribute to this discussion for she stood up and left the cafeteria quickly.

Richard just opened his eyes. She had come back from her friend. Now she was going to make a mess about last night, he was very sure about this. Yes, he had been late, and the Slayer had already left again. But who had been the one standing at the door? Instead of waiting outside, she had gone into the Bronze and Buffy had seen her. And of course, she had realised that she had been the girl from the graveyard. After all, she was not stupid. For the time being, he closed his eyes again, hoping the red-haired girl who just entered the cave had not noticed his being awake. But his hope was being disappointed.

Her voice sounded really dangerous, and she was in a very, very bad mood. "Richard," she hissed, "I know you're awake. Could you please tell me why our plan went wrong last night?"

Richard shook his head inwardly. She had become so impatient during the last years, she would only make it more difficult for him if she did not manage to get a grip on herself. He opened his eyes again and waved her to come near. "Darling, maybe, just maybe, you've noticed my excuse for being late. I'm sorry."

The girl did not even show any intention of coming close. Instead, she started putting off her clothes. "So. Your excuse. You've been late, and we could have ended it all last night. Maybe, just maybe, it has come to your mind that I'm really angry?" She threw her stockings into the corner. "Oh, Richard, I grow weary of these caves! When shall we return to the light, hah?"

Richard stood up now to calm her down. He had never been able to see her suffering, and right now she was definitely suffering from impatience. He stood behind her and laid his hands on her waist. "I know, darling, I know. It's hard for all of us. But we're gonna do it, you know it's only a matter of time now - nothing can stop us!" With a broad grin, she turned around and faced him again. "Why do you always manage to get my feet back on the ground? You're so right, if we didn't do it today, we're gonna do it tomorrow." 

"Exactly what I'm telling you all the time." And with these words, he kissed her ever so slightly. But - as always - the passion grew within seconds, and both could not resist the sweet temptation of being seduced... Again...

Suddenly Richard winced and broke from her. "What's going on, darling?" she asked in confusion. He shook his head and sat down on the bed. "I don't know, there's something about the Slayer, something's happening..."

The girl's forehead wrinkled in sorrow. "Richard, are you alright?" She sat down beside him and shoved him back on the bed carefully. "Maybe she has realised that we've established a telepathic link on her. And now she's trying to stop it."

Richard shook his head again. "No, no, no! You don't understand, it's not about this link, she hasn't even begun to realise it but... I don't feel alright betraying her this way. Do we really have to kill her?"

The girl looked quite bewildered. "What are you talking about, darling? You certainly don't have... feelings... for her, do you?"

He shook his head again, immediately and violently this time. "No, you know that I love only you. Don't you."

"Yes, of course, but your behaviour... it's quite strange."

Richard sat up again. "I know. I think I haven't slept very well, you know, you're not the only one who's becoming impatient."

Seeming really relieved about the triviality of his behaviour, she laid down beside him and looked him straight into his eyes. "Then it's alright, my dear. Where did we stop?" Her lips moved again closer to his but he turned away. "Please, darling, not again. I'm not in the mood."

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