Discoveries

 

Lisa Martin

            It was another evening in Sunnydale, California, also known as the Hellmouth, a warm evening following a sweltering hot day. Two young women were walking towards the school, one carrying a large backpack. With a deep sigh she hoisted it on her shoulder again.

            "One of the things I hate about being a Slayer, your bag weighs a ton!" she complained.

            "Why don’t you leave that stuff in the Library?" the other one asked.

            An exasperated look. "One, if a vampire shows up now, it won’t wait until I’ve gone to the Library to fetch a stake and two, these are new ones. Broke quite a few these last weeks."

            "Point taken." The redhead nodded, then giggled. "Pun intended."

            One eyebrow arched. "What pun?"

            "’Point’ taken?"

            "Oh. Ah, " Buffy grinned. "Sorry Will, with this heat I’m not thinking too clearly."

            Willow sighed. "No one is. Hopefully Oz is a bit quieter tonight than he was during the day."

            A speculative look. "And that was a bad thing?"

            Willow didn’t catch the double meaning. "Yeah, I hate it when he’s so cranky. It really scares me you know, when he’s trying to get out of that cage."

            Buffy smiled, swallowing the remark she had waiting. "Cage day."

            "First night. I have the second watch. Thought I’d patrol with you and Giles first, then go back."

            "You sure? I mean, walking around this place at night by yourself isn’t the most sane thing to do." Genuine concern spoke from her voice, eyes more serious than they should be for a seventeen-year-old girl.

            "I can handle it," Willow replied, sounding more sure than she felt. "Maybe the vampires decide it’s too hot to crawl out tonight."

            "Let’s hope so, I could do with a quiet night." The statement was heartfelt.

            By that time they had reached the entrance of the school’s Library. Going in, they found it deserted.

            "Have I missed something?" Buffy asked, glancing around.

            "What are you looking for?"

            "A note that says ‘No Slaying tonight because of high temperatures.’"

            Willow gaped at her friend for a second, then smiled. "That was funny."

            "It was? Jee, thanks." Buffy walked into the small office, finding no one. "Will? Go look up there. Maybe Giles is buried under some books." Her voice sounded light, but her mind was racing.

            Willow ran up the stairs and disappeared behind the bookcases. Buffy walked out of the Library, bumping into Oz. "Hey!"

            "Edgy?" Never a man of many words, Oz just waited for answer to that one syllable question.

            "Very. The heat and the fact that there’s nobody in there." A wave towards the Library.

            At that moment Willow came out, eyes wide in a pale face. She barely noticed her boyfriend and stuttered, "I…I found Giles."

            All of Buffy’s senses were immediately on high alert. "Something wrong?"

            "No…" A fierce blush colored the young woman’s cheeks. "He’s okay. I think."

            "Not good enough." Buffy barged into the Library.

            "No!" Willow cried out. "He’s alright, honestly."

            Oz said nothing, and calmly crossed the room towards the cage. He was greeted by a cheerful Xander, lounging on a chair. "Hey Wolfboy!" Not expecting an answer, Xander turned and grinned at the girls. "You are late. Prepare to be punished."

            "Xander." A calm voice came from the office. "Despite the fact that they are a little late, punishing is not on my mind." Giles emerged, carrying a large bag.

            "We were on time, but.." Buffy’s comment was cut short by a hand over her mouth.

            "We’re late, we are so late!" Willow squeaked.

            Two pairs of eyes stared at the girls. Willow’s blush got even deeper.

            "Shouldn’t that be the other way around?" Xander asked. Meeting confused looks, he added, "Usually it’s Buffy who stops Willow from saying something stupid."

            Willow saw her way out and took it. "You’re saying I’m stupid??" Slowly she closed the distance between her and Xander, her eyes glittering. Xander backed off, literally and figuratively.

            "Stay!" he cried out. "I’ll take it back. You are not stupid, you are very smart, very, very smart."

            Willow halted and smiled, a broad satisfied smile. "That’s better." Her eyes flew to the cage and she shivered. "Let’s get out of here. I can’t stand to see him change."

            "Yes," Giles stated, putting on his jacket. "Let’s go."

            "You’ll melt in that," Buffy pointed out. "It’s bloody hot outside."

            Willow and Xander stifled a laugh, but Giles frowned. "Buffy! Language!"

            His only comment was a shrug. Sighing he picked up the duffel and walked out, followed by the two girls, talking in hushed voices. Xander’s ‘Happy dusting!" floated after them.

 

            Halfway through the night, Xander looked up from the book he was reading. Or, trying to read. His thoughts were constantly wandering off. A smile crossed his face. Happy thoughts, and oh so distracting. A grunt from the cage shook him out of another daydream. He glanced at his watch and nodded. "Right on the mark again, Oz. "

            As if on cue, Willow entered. "Hi!" she greeted him.

            "Hi yourself." Looking at the redhead Xander quickly took stock of her appearance. No torn clothes, no dirt, no visible wounds. He sighed in relief. "Slow night?"

            Willow pulled up a chair. "Nothing much. Buffy dusted one. How’s he doing?"

            "Quiet. Hey Will, want to know something funny?"

            Willow tore her eyes away from the creature in the cage. "Funny?"

            "Right before you come in, he starts moving around, making noises. He knows you’re near." The utterly delighted smile that lit up Willow’s face warmed Xander’s heart.

            "Really?"

            "Yeah. I don’t need an alarm clock to wake me at the end of my watch, he’s doing just fine."

The narrow eyed stare he got was exactly what he anticipated. And so was the outburst that followed. "You sleep on your watch?? What if he gets out again??" Getting no answer, Willow’s fury increased. A well aimed punch at his shoulder had Xander flinching.

"Hey! Joke!"

"Oh." Willow backpedaled immediately. "Not funny!" she added, a small spark of anger flaring again.

"Remind me not to pull a joke on you again. " Xander was rubbing his shoulder furiously. "You pack a mean punch lady."

"You deserved it." A pause. "Did I hurt you?"

Xander grinned inwardly. So Willow. "Nothing that can’t be cured with a good massage."

"Oh good. Xander!" Willow’s voice was outraged, causing Xander nearly to fall from his chair laughing.

"You make it so easy," he laughed.

"I might not catch all your jokes, but I’m not easy, buster!" That statement made Xander laugh even harder. Ignoring her icy stare, he tried to catch his breath.

"Buffy’s rubbing off on you. You’re a lot less shy than you used to be," he added, seeing her puzzled look.

"That’s a compliment, right?"

"It is." Xander’s voice held no teasing note. He smiled at his life long friend and was rewarded with an answering smile. He stretched, feeling his muscles pop. "You know, a massage would be nice. And that’s no joke. I feel like I’ve been hit by a truck."

Willow hesitated for a second, then got up from her chair and stood behind her friend’s chair. Xander let out a long sigh when he felt her hands starting to massage his shoulders. "Oh man, that feels good." He closed his eyes and leaned back.

The noise coming from the cage increased. Lazily opening one eye, Xander stared. "Keep your shirt on, Wolfman. I ain’t stealing her from you."

Behind him Willow chuckled. "This must look different than it is. I mean, me massaging you and all could look like I’m ..eh.."

"Doing something you shouldn’t?" Xander finished.

"Yeah." There was a short silence. "Xander?"

"Hmmm…?" Xander’s voice sounded lazy.

"What would you do if you had seen something you shouldn’t?"

One eye cracked open again. "As in?"

"As in seeing someone doing something you hadn’t expected from that certain someone."

Opening both eyes, Xander turned. "That explains it. Will, could you be a little clearer? I know it’s asking a lot but someone? Something? Names, dates and places please."

A fierce blush crept up Willow’s cheeks. Before she could answer, a voice came from the entrance.

"My, my this looks cozy."

The both of them jumped, Willow recovering first. "Buffy, this isn’t what it seems like, I mean, it seems like something.."

"Will, shut!" Xander cut her off. "Willow gave me a shoulder rub. That’s all."

"Then why is she blushing?"

"Because, because…yeah Will why are you?" Xander turned to Willow, who was doing her best to impersonate a boiled lobster.

"Because for someone walking in on us like that, it must seem like we were doing something indecent. Which we weren’t."

"Nice catch, Will!" Buffy said admiringly. Willow bowed, letting out a relieved sigh.

Throwing her bag on the table, Buffy slumped down on a nearby chair. "This heat is killing me faster than vampires."

"That was a totally inappropriate remark, Buffy." Giles had entered, and was staring at her with a look of disapproval.

"Yeah well, whatever," Buffy shrugged. "What’s up here?"

"Nothing much," Xander replied. "Oz is no more restless than usual, I didn’t fall asleep on my watch.." Thunderous glares from the others. "And this boy is getting home now, the place where he is permitted to fall asleep."

"I think I’ll stick around for a while," Buffy said, propping her feet up on the table. "Too hot to sleep."

"I won’t mind the company," Willow chimed in.

"That’s settled then. Will and I will stay here and you two, " Buffy threw a determined look at Giles and Xander, "Home!"

"Yes Ma’am!" Xander saluted, grabbed his book and headed out.

"Buffy, are you sure you.."

"OUT!"

"Don’t mess with a cranky slayer, G-man, you should know that by now." Xander’s head peeked round the door.

"Will you stop calling me that!" Giles hissed.

"Rephrase, don’t mess with a cranky librarian. And I think I’d better leave now." Xander's head dissapeared.

Giles sighed and shook his head. "I guess there's no arguing with you?"

"Nope." Buffy shook her head. "Go home Giles. Enjoy a good nights sleep. For once."

"With this heat, that is doubtful." Giles caught the determined glare of his Slayer and gave in. "Alright. I'll be back tomorrow."

"Let's hope so. Not showing for work will get you fired, and we can't use that .Sorry Giles, I'm a bit giddy," she added, chuckling.

"Giddy or not, you are absolutely right." A smile crossed Giles' face. "I will see you three in the morning."

"Bye Giles," the girls both waved at him.

"Boy, it does take a while before he gets a hint," Buffy complained after Giles had left.

"I wouldn’t exactly call it a hint, more like an order."

"Did I go overboard?"

"Just a little."

Silence stretched on for a couple of minutes. Then Willow spoke up. "Buffy?"

Looking up from the book she was holding in her hands, Buffy threw a questioning look at her friend. "Yeah?"

"I didn’t disturb you, did I? I mean, if you want to read…."

"Nah." Buffy threw the book on the table. "I just seemed fitting to read in a library."

Willow stared at her, wide eyed. When the penny dropped, she giggled. "That was a joke."

"Yeah Willow, you’re catching up!" Buffy stated, grinning. "What’s up? You’ve been behaving weird all evening."

"That’s what I was about to tell you, the reason I’ve been doing odd, strange, I have a reason for it, you know…"

"Will! Stop babbling!" Buffy exclaimed. She put her feet back on the floor again and leaned over the table. "Tell me."

"You know when you sent me..there," a wave towards the stairs, "to find Giles, well I did find him."

"So you said. Nothing odd about that, he was hiding behind the bookcases, so Giles."

"Buffy, this is serious!"

Seeing that her friend was feeling very uncomfortable, Buffy clamped down on some other flippant remarks. "How serious?"

"As in ‘Giles kissing someone’ serious?"

Buffy’s eyes went wide for a moment, then a huge grin broke on her face. "Alright! Way to go, Giles! Who was it?"

"I couldn’t see. He was standing with his back towards me." Willow felt a weight lifting from her shoulders now that she finally had spilled her secret.

"Then how do you know he was kissing someone?"

"I just knew, okay?" Noticing that that wasn’t a sufficient answer, Willow continued, "Someone was holding him. I could see a hand on his back and his head was like so." She tilted her head slightly.

"Kissing position," Buffy nodded. "Would I like to find out who that was!"

"Me too," Willow agreed, turning red as she said it. Buffy didn’t seem to notice, staring into thin air.

"Who else was here when we came in? The second time, I mean."

"Well, Giles and…." She faltered.

Two wide eyed, open mouthed stares. "Nah!!"

 

The end. (Nah, not really. J )

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