An Englishman Abroad - Chapter Twenty
Buffy, Giles and I all looked at each other on that last point. Bummer! But all three of us sucked it in, breathed deeply and nodded at each other. Bring it on! Nothing my girl can't cope with. Bloody hell the grave can’t keep either of us! Reckon it'd have a bloody hard job with Watcher Boy too. Especially when up against a very possessive vengeance demon an all.
So, he gathered up the powdery stuff, and we followed him. Ended up just where Buffy and me just came from. Inn't ironic? No, not thinking that. Otherwise I'll end up with that bloody song playing in my head all day.
Shaman sat Buffy down under our tree, took my and Rupert's hands, and started doing the mojo. Felt something warm flowing between us three, and a bleeding weird feeling of openess of my thoughts. No barriers between our minds, but not intrusive like. Not like when Red kept forcing her thoughts into my head that summer.
Didn't last too long. Thank goodness. Not sure that's a feeling I'm ready to spend too much time sharing with the Watcher, or even Buffy. A bloke's mind should be private you know. Already had too many people poking around in it.
He let go of our hands and waved me and Rupert away. Don't want to leave her. Know it shows in my face, coz Rupert gives me a rueful look. He don't wanna either. But a man's gotta do what a man's gotta do. Be worth it. We give each other a very light punch on the shoulders and walk off together down another path. Before I go I saw the Shaman pouring the powders in a circle around Buffy and chanting.
We found a tree and sat down in the shade. Rupert got his flask out, and we both had a much needed nip of scotch. He hates this too, written all over him.
In the distance I could hear the screaming. Bloody demonic hearing, sometimes it's a curse. I put my head in my hands while I tried to keep myself together in front of Giles.
He gave me back the flask and said "It's always hard to leave a person you care for to suffer, even if it's for their own good."
Passed him back the flask, and couldn't resist it "didn't have a problem leaving me mate." Well it had hurt. Being left alone repeatedly will do that.
He took a swig and came back. "Believe it or not. It wasn't easy. Surprised me actually. I knew what was coming and knew you'd pass, and I don't really understand it, but leaving you there was strangely hard. Don’t know if it was the summer, or some hellmouth related amnesia spell thing, but no, not easy. Not easy at all."
At which we both started to get overly embarrassed, sniff, he cleaned his glasses, and we had to change the subject. The mutual embarrassment related conversation break lasted a long time. But the screaming continued, and we both needed a distraction, before either of us headed back down that path to stop it.
So, after another little swig I ask, "any sign when Anyanka's coming back?"
That induces a glowering, oops, mouth foot problem again. So I continue, "you know coz friends, concerned for friends. Coz that's all we are, and all we're gonna be…and don’t want friends to be in trouble, wanna help. Think you two are great together, and well concerned like."
He lightens back up and takes the flask, swigs it gown and "thanks, I know that. Anya and I have talked about recent events. She says you were a good friend to her. Thank you for that. Of course if you even think…"
After both hurried and heartfelt denials on my part he continued. "No sign. I must say I am worried." He took another nip. "She has done so much good recently I do worry about D'Hoffryn. But…if she is in trouble we sort it out!"
"Too bloody right we do mate," and I raised the flask to that.
Of course right then the air shimmered and Anyanka appeared.
She kissed Rupert, nodded to me, and listened to the screams. She took the flask off me and said, "I love the sounds of screaming in the morning." Knew we shouldn't have gone to see Apocalypse Now Redux, but it had seemed a nice bit of light relief at the time.
She turned to Rupert and said, "D'Hoffryn wants to see you. He wants to make sure I'm not making another big mistake." Giles face paled. Meeting the parents just took on a truly hellmouth twist. "Oh, and he wants to know all about these horrible men out to exterminate all the demons. So you have to come now." She tossed the flask back to me, took Giles hand, and they both disappeared.
Of course that left your truly on his own with the sounds of my beloved screaming, with the sounds of crying mixed in now. Sometimes I hate my un-life. Not sure which is worse though, being here, or being interrogated by a family of vengeance demons who've just had to take back all the wedding presents from the last relationship.
Took the last swig out of the flask and tried to chill. Failed miserably. Tried pacing, didn't work either. Refused to brood. Opted to take a slow walk back. Can't leave her there, gotta be there as soon as it's finished. And I'm not like Rupert, I don’t have the mojo, or the briefing, to know when it's finished.