Part Fifteen

"There it is! There it is!" Willow bubbled as Wesley pulled into a space beside the small metal terminal at Sunnydale General Airport. She turned in her seat and flung her hand past his nose, pointing at the twin engine turboprop which sat on a runway spur one hundred yards away. "Oh this is so cool!"

"Extremely." Wesley mumbled, jerking his head back from her unintentional swipe across his line of vision.

"Hummmm.... Glad you think so." Ethan muttered. "From the looks of that thing I'm glad that I'm already dead."

"That's not a very big plane." Joyce mumbled under her breath.

"Pardon?" Rupert asked, assuming that she had said something to him.

Joyce forced a smile. "Nothing.. except... well... I assumed that we would be taking a jet." She laughed nervously and then cleared her throat. "I had a very bad flight on one of those kind of planes and... well..."

"Don't worry. Mr. Landry is a competent pilot with thousands of hours under his belt." Giles said reassuringly.

With a snicker, Ethan slid over the seat and ran his spectral hands along Rupert's neck, causing him to shiver a bit.

"So, if you're not worried why do you have the heebie-jeebies?" Joyce asked suspiciously upon seeing the motion.

Giles rolled his shoulders. "I don't have the... oh, Joyce I'm fine. Not at all worried, it's just a chill from the excitement."

"If you say so." Joyce answered halfheartedly as she joined the others exiting the van.

Willow hopped out, catching sight of Sam coming toward them, accompanied by a woman and at their heels a large dog. "There's Sam! Oh! and he has Ring with him!"

Wesley wrinkled his nose. "Wonderful. Eight, ten hours trapped in a plane filled with dog hair. Don't these people go anywhere without their catahoulas?"

Buffy rolled her eyes. "Guess not, there's another one up there with that guy who's messing with the cargo hatch. What you want to bet that one of those mutts will be the ring bearer?"

"I could see that." Wesley said in an arid tone. He took a half glance toward the dogs and then back to the plane, trying to compute the ratio of dog hair per cubic foot of cabin air. With a sigh he decided that this was something he would rather not think about and he went back to the task of unloading the luggage from the van.

Willow handed a garment bag to Buffy. "Oh come on, this is going to be fun! What's wrong with you two anyway?"

Buffy assumed an air of deep concentration. "Define 'fun' and use it in as sentence also using the words plane, dog and Alliance."

"Allo! See you made it." Landry shouted as he approached.

"Hi Sam!" Willow shouted back.

Giles smiled. "Would not have missed it for the world." Taking Joyce by the arm he closed the distance between them and nodded to Joyce. "This is Joyce Summers, Buffy's mother."

"Hi!" Joyce said brightly, holding out her hand to shake. "I've heard so much about you."

"And I'm sure somet'ings he said were true." Sam laughed accepting the courtesy. "Dis is Renée Jeanmard, she's along to co." He motioned his hand back and forth between Rupert and Renée. "And dis is Matt's pere, Rupert Giles."

Renée's face broke into a grin. "Mais, Matt's pere... I heard some cancan 'bout you too."

Joyce's forehead wrinkled. "Some what?"

"Gossip." Renée translated with a wink. "Sam says dat he is just like his boy and I've know Matt since da get-go, so..." She ended her statement with a roll of her eyes.

"Everybody says that about them." Joyce chuckled as Rupert made an exasperated noise. "I can't wait to meet him."

The four stood exchanging pleasantries for a few moments, leaving the unloading to the other three and a shade.

"I don't believe you people packed enough." Ethan observed. "You seem to be missing the kitchen sink and your diving gear."

Buffy picked up a canvas satchel and eyed it suspiciously. "This is Giles' weapons bag... why?"

Wesley rolled his eyes. "How should I know?! Maybe he's planning on staking the caterer." He pointed first to a stack of a dozen books in the corner and then over to a metal box. "He's also brought some 'light' reading and his first aid supplies."

"Where's his compass? The one with the mirror." Buffy said as a joke.

"In his pocket."

Willow giggled. "You had to ask!"

Buffy joined in the snickering. "Well, if we crash land in untamed Iowa I guess we're all set."

"He has more ssh... bundles than the rest of us put together!" Wesley growled as he went stomping over toward the nonhelp. "Mr. Giles!"

"Yes Wesley?"

"Would you please come o...." Wesley stopped in his tracks as the group parted for there before his eyes, was the most beautiful woman he had ever seen. Her eyes were blue ice and her raven black hair, half tied back with a strand of leather fell in a wild mass of curls around her face. The faded flannel shirt, worn jeans and scarred boots she wore did not hide her femininity, but instead gave it an added strength for it told that this was a woman who was sure of all her attributes and did need to primp and fuss.

"What is it Wesley?" Rupert said for the second time.

Giles shut his eyes for a long blink. "Wesley?"

Renée arched an eyebrow at this mute figure who stood staring at her. She took a step forward. "So you're Wesley? I'm..."

Wesley found his voice, stepped up to her and half bowed. "Yes and you must be Artemis, goddess of the hunt."

"Oh brother." Buffy groaned as she and Willow came up behind him.

"Mais, I see you are full of merde!" Renée said while looking him up and down with a hint of interest in her expression.

At that moment a possum in the headlights looked more at ease than Wesley - and as far as he was concerned, the possum had better odds. "I-I'm so sorry. I don't know what came over... usually not so forward.... my, my apologies.. hope you don't think..."

Joyce nudged Rupert. "Is he always this smooth?"

"No, this is an improvement."

"A, don worry. I like dem full of merde." Renée interrupted. "It was da best pickup line I've heard in a long, long time." She gave Wesley a smack on the shoulder with her clipboard. "I goan go file our flight plan."

Wesley's shirt collar was suddenly too tight. "Yes, you have, have duties to a-attend to. I will..."

"Go with her.. go with her!" Ethan ordered. "That was an invitation you fool!"

"...will see you later, Miss.. Ms... ah.. ummmm.."

"Artemis." She said with a backward glance.

The urge to turn and watch her walk away was stifled by Sam's laughing addition. "Wesley! Never knew you had such a way with da ladies!"

The specter crossed his arms. "So that's what that was. Well, if you're not going to take advantage of her, I certainly will give it a go." He grinned and smoothed his bloody shirt before taking off in her footsteps. "Wait for me my dear!"

Wesley's face reddened all the way to the tip of his ears and he wished that the ground would open up and swallow him whole.

At Sam's feet, Ring growled softly at the departing shade. Landry glanced downward and then his gaze followed that of the catahoula's toward the terminal. After a moment of thought he dismissed the dog's actions as something in the canine's memory. He pulled out his cigars and lit one.

"Is something wrong?" Rupert asked.

"A no." Sam said, waving his cigar toward a tree beside the terminal. "Ring, he remembers dat dis is where we treed dat bloodsucker last spring."

Still noting Wesley's embarrassment, Willow covered her mouth with her hand and elbowed Buffy. "Let's put our stuff in the plane."

"Der is a luggage cart." Sam said pointing toward the side of the terminal.

"Yeah, well need that for all of Giles' stuff." Buffy announced. "Along with another plane."

Sam looked at his watch. "Mais, we have to get going. Let's get doze bags over to da plane so da cargo man can load."

Wesley said a silent prayer of thanks that the topic had changed from his bumbling. He straightened himself up and cleared his throat. "(Ahem) Yes Mr. Giles, as Buffy pointed out you are going to have to sift through your baggage and decide if you really need that 'entire' metric ton of items which you have packed."

"I only brought along the basic necessities."

"Yeah, for a two month safari." Buffy shot as she and Willow headed for the plane.

"In Antarctica!" Willow added.

"Do they have safaris in Antarctica?" Buffy asked.

Willow thought about it. "No, unless it's a penguin safari and I don't think they have those." She took a quick glance behind her to make sure that they were out of earshot. "Boy! Wesley sure could use a tutor. Maybe Giles should give him 'cool' lessons."

"Will, you just used the words 'Giles' and 'cool' in the... same... sentence. Guuurrrrr-rowl!" Buffy's voice faded out then came back full strength for the additional commentary.

"Huh?"

Buffy slowed her pace. "Look at that. I'll take two even if they're not on sale." She nodded forward to the sight of the cargo man who was standing beside the plane with his back to them.

"Checklist." Willow said wickedly. "Butt?"

Buffy cast her vote. "Four star butt - check."

"Shoulders and arms?"

"Works out but not obsessive about it... give him another perfect score - four stars."

"Clothes?"

"Straight leg jeans, boots and 'T'. Down to earth, but he could use a little style. Give him a three 'cause that can be fixed."

"Hair?"

"A little long and on the wild side, but it has possibilities. We get him a trim and that's another three stars." Buffy caught a glimpse of the side of his face as he made a quarter turn to scratch his catahoula's ears. "Ut-oh, he has a beard he loses a point. Bummer."

Willow shook her head. "No bummer - extra points 'cause I like beards."

"Okay we'll just make that one at two and three quarters."

"Hello ladies! Welcome to Alliance air!"

Both Willow and Buffy's jaws dropped.

Xander continued his spiel. "I'm going to have to search your luggage for fruits, vegetables and skimpy underwear." He came over and took the garment bag off of Buffy's arm. "But first how you guys doin'? Or as we say down on the bayou - comment ca va?"

"Xander?!"

"Xander?!"

"Is there an echo?" Xander laughed two seconds before he was tackled by the two.

"Look at you!" Willow squealed.

"Yeah.." Buffy added pushing his chin up. ".. did you know you got something hairy on your face?"

With a whine the dog jumped out of the cargo hold, upset that she was suddenly being ignored by her master.

"You like it?" Xander asked stroking his goatee. "It hides my baby face."

(whine)

Buffy wrinkled up her nose. "I don't know... it really changes your look."

"That's the idea Buffy."

Upon hearing her name the catahoula put in her two cents - ROWF!

"What's the matter pooch?" Buffy asked.

Willow took a step back. "Is that your dog?"

"Buffy..." Xander said, motioning his hand between his friends and the catahoula. "..I'd like you to meet Buffy."

ROWF!!!

Buffy gave Xander a look that could almost peel paint. "You named a 'dog' after me?"

Xander knelt down, rubbed the catahoula's neck and began to list off the reasons. "She's a vampire hunter, just like you."

"Un-huh."

"She's really good."

"Uh-huh."

"Strong and smart."

'Uh-huh."

"Won't back down."

"Un-huh."

"Stubborn."

"Watch it." Buffy warned as Willow went into a giggle fit.

"She's cute." Xander offered.

Buffy crossed her arms.

"I think it's great." Willow piped in, leaning over to give the dog some extra attention. "Is she yours?"

"Yep! I'm officially a 'dog man' for the Alliance. Been out on a job, got paid and everything." Xander crowed.

Buffy twisted her lip. "So you really like this stuff."

Xander looked up at her and smiled almost apologetically. "Yeah... I really like it." He stood and jammed his hands into his pockets. "I went over to mom and dad's this morning for a little bit and told them that I'm not going to be coming back to stay. It's really working out for me, jobwise and well... uh... I've ah... I've met someone."

"Cool!" Willow said giving the four legged Buffy a final ear rub. "Like 'serious' met someone or just 'hi' met someone?"

"Way past the 'hi', right up there next to 'never apart', but right now it's still in the 'oh wow' stage." Xander explained while drawing circles in the air with his hands. "But Sam's told me it's okay to see her so we might be heading into the 'serious' before much longer."

Willow arched an eyebrow. "Sam had to say okay?"

Xander pulled out his wallet. "Caroline is his daughter and Sam's real old fashioned. He sic'ed the dogs on her last boyfriend when that guy pulled up out front and just laid on the horn for her to come on out." He held out a photo of Caroline and himself.

Buffy tried to be positive, tried her best to look happy as another member of the Scooby Gang slipped away for good. She had assumed that Xander would hate being in Louisiana.. but look at him, he had went away four months ago as good, old Xander and returned as this bearded Alliance 'dog man'.

"She's cute." Willow said eyeing the picture with a semi-mock pout.

"Yeah." Xander said somewhat wistfully. "We're the same age and she's a dog handler too."

"So... will this thing really stay in one piece to fly us there?" Buffy asked doing a major subject change.

"Sure will." Xander answered replacing his wallet. "It's going to take us about 9 hours. Four from here to Topeka and then we get out and stretch for an hour, then four more to Rutland with our planned E T & A at nineteen-hundred... that's 7:00 PM for you non-aeronautical types."

He patted the side of the plane. "1995, Beech 1900D turboprop. Cruises at 325 miles per hour, at 25,000 feet with range of 1,600 miles on a pair of butt kicking Pratt & Whitney's driving the Hartzells. You'll ride with all the comforts of home - providing that your home is a big metal tube with wings, including a bathroom and what seats are left after the retrofit..."

Buffy waved her hands. "Okay! Okay! Just wondered if it flew."

"You don't want me to tell you about the auto-pilot, oxygen masks and the microwave?"

Willow nodded toward the rest of the group coming toward them. Better not, Buffy's mom seems kinda nervous and oxygen masks are not what she would want to hear about."

"Nothing to be nervous about." Xander assured. "Sam and Renée are top notch."

"Renée." Willow said in a low tone. "You should have seen Wes, he tried to hit on her."

Xander wiggled an eyebrow. "Well, she's free. She got divorced last year."

"Xander! Oh my God it's good to see you!" Rupert shouted.

"Hey Giles!"

Joyce's jaw dropped. "You've changed."

"Well I've been working out." Xander laughed, assuming a bodybuilder pose. "Tossing around fifty pound bags of dog food and bales of straw."

"So now you will build a muscle tossing dis luggage and then get everybody settled in." Sam ordered with sham gruffness. "I'm goan go start the preflight check." He crooked a finger and called his catahoula to come with him. "Ring, viens!"

"Sure thing boss."

Wesley took it upon himself to help Xander load as they chatted, bringing each other up to speed. Rupert offered up a veiled summary of the incidents of the past two and a half weeks which caused Xander to shake his head grimly. "Nothing's changed around here has it?"

"No... everything's changed." Buffy countered.

Joyce case a glance toward Giles. "But things are working out."

"Rookie! We loaded?" Renée asked as she came up to the plane.

"Just about Ma'am." Xander responded with a salute.

Catahoula Buffy cocked her head and decided that she did not like what she saw hovering behind the human. Gurrrr... ROWF!

"And Buffy says so to." Xander added.

ROWF!

"So this hellhound can see me." Ethan muttered, taking in the scene. He considered the possibilities for a moment and decided to file this bit of information away for further use. "All right, dog... I'm going to be a good boy for the time being." This stated he made his way into the plane and found a hiding place in the lavatory.

Renée's eyes narrowed at the catahoula's raised hackles. "Rookie... yous better work with her, hein?"

Xander snapped his fingers. Buffy, l'terrain!"

The dog laid down but did not take her eyes off of the departing specter.

"Sorry 'bout that." Xander apologized.

"If she goan to be a hunter, she goan to have to get used to da flying." Jeanmard grumbled, assuming that the catahoula had equated her appearance with the impending flight. "You keep her settled when we take off, yes?" She observed Xander's tight tightlipped nod of an answer, then gave her hand a wave toward the passenger hatch. "Mais gens... let's board."

Willow did not need to be told twice. With a enormous grin she sprinted up the steps with Buffy in tow. Rupert took Joyce by the arm and ushered her toward the steps, allowing her to board ahead of him. Renée followed the four onboard, giving them the Alliance version of the flight attendant's instructions. "All yous, strap in, hold on."

Wesley peered out of the cargo hold. "I take it your dog does not like to fly?"

"She howls when we take off then is kinda antsy for the first hour. I think it hurts her ears." Xander explained with a shrug, then with an arch of the eyebrow asked. "You planning on riding in there, or are you going to get onboard?"

"No... uh... I will help you finish loading." Wesley said scanning around for Renée. "Mmmm... I'll just let everyone else take their seats, then I'll slip on in."

Xander tossed the next to the last suitcase up and onto the floor of the hold. Biting his tongue to keep from laughing at Wesley's overt hiding he broached the subject. "Willow said that you tried to... acted interested in Renée. Go for it man."

Wesley looked morose. "I'd rather not talk about it. Now where should this one go? On the floor or in the net?"

"Floor, and wind that strap around it so it doesn't slide." Xander heaved the last bag in. "She's about 28, got divorced last year. Her ex was one of our Fed contacts who thought she should stay home, bake cookies and make babies..."

"That's quite all right!" Wesley responded sharply. He turned his back on Xander and finished strapping the luggage down. "There, we are loaded." Hopping out of the hold he adjusted his shirt and met Xander's amused stare. "What?"

"Like I said, 'go for it'."

Wesley shut his eyes and hissed out an exasperated exhale.

Xander lobbed another one. "Why not?"

"Because... because I made an ass of myself and I'm sure she was not at all taken by me. Because we..."

"You don't know that... come on man.."

"Let me finish!" Wesley interrupted the interruption with a wave of his hand. "We are from two different worlds - Council and Alliance, two different nationalities, two different upbringings. Yes, she is beautiful, but I learned my lesson with Cordelia. I cannot ignore the disparity, common sense now dictates that."

"Yeah, right." Xander laughed as he made the final check of the latches. "But you'll never know unless you try." He slapped Wesley on the back. "Come on... it's wild blue yonder time!"

******

"Sit up."

With glassy, half-dead eyes Marcum merely stared up at the demon as it tossed a folder to the floor beside his head.

A pen hit the floor. "Your letter of resignation... sign it." Jack added as his features morphed back to human.

"He held out longer than I though he would." Rob yawned as he leaned his chair back against the wall.

Lieutenant Colbert made a snorting sound over his half-brother's comment. "He spent half the time unconscious, it's real easy to be heroic when you're out of it."

"And he's going to be comatose again here in about a minute." Jack growled as he leaned over and pulled Marcum upright.

Marcum fell back to the floor.

"Bobby, he's not going to come back around anytime soon." Jack spit picking the letter back up. "Want me to just forge his signature?"

"Yeah, go ahead, can't see him contesting it."

Rob yawned again. "So-o-o-o, now what? We going to tell them about this?"

"Vermont is out of our jurisdiction." Colbert said without a trace of humor. "They'll find out soon enough what's coming down."

Jack curled his lip. "You got that right brother. Anyway this is Council business." He chuckled under his breath. "Too bad they didn't turn on each other two, three years ago."

"That would have made life a hell of a lot easier." Colbert agreed. "Get that 'resignation' statement signed and let's finish up and go get something to eat.

"Sure." Jack took a pen and began to read outloud. "To whom it may concern, I can't live with the knowledge that I couldn't stop that perp from killing my partner...."

******

Three time zones and twenty-four hundred miles to the North East - as the crow would fly, Ethan strolled from room to room finally coming to rest in the spare bedroom to which Wesley had been assigned.

"You are an amazing bag packer." The shade observed, peering into Wesley's suitcase. "Everything all lined up and tidy."

Wesley opened the closet door and began to hang his shirts up.

"Be that way, I offer a compliment and you just ignore me. I am truly impressed for I would always just dump my things into the bag and unceremoniously slam the lid shut." Ethan assumed the position of leaning against the wall and grinned. "Of course I was usually in a rush to leave."

A soft rap on the door pulled Wesley from his unpacking. "Mr. Wyndam-Pryce?"

"It's open." Wesley answered moving across the room as Ray entered.

"Getting settled in?" Karn asked

"Yes, very nicely. This was so kind of you, opening up your home to us."

Ray nodded and handed Wesley a slip of paper. "Harris called and left a message on my machine. You left one of your bags on the plane and he gave it to Renée. Here's the address so you can go pick it up in the morning."

Wesley gulped. "Renée is still here? I though s-s-she was going back to Louisiana with Mr. Landry."

"The Alliance general meeting starts on Thursday, no reason for her to fly back and then do a turnaround." He gave Wesley a fast questioning look. "All the crews come in a day or two early, it's the way we do things. Now, I'm going to show Matt's dad and his guest to their quarters. Good-night."

"I see, that is fine." Wesley mumbled. "Well... ah... thank you for the message. I'll have to go... see her in the morning." He regrouped enough to bid Ray goodnight and softly shut the door. "Oh splendid... now she has confirmation that I am a total fool. Not only do I make an ass of myself but I cannot even keep track of my own possessions."

"Cheer up mate!" Ethan chuckled. "This might be a second chance for you." The ghost slid toward the sputtering human and wagged a finger. "This time you will not be able to scurry away like you did when we landed." He busted out in spectral laughter and waved toward the door. "I'm going to go see if the young ladies are planning on a shower and then go find Ripper and Joyce. Wonder if they are feeling randy tonight?" With that the shade wafted on out.

******

Ray Karn held the door open for Joyce and Rupert. "I turned the heat up this afternoon and it's all ready for you."

"Thank you so much for letting us stay here." Joyce smiled as she entered the tiny guest house. "This is a lovely little cottage."

"It was built as a blacksmith shop back in 1759." Ray said as he nodded toward the thick stone walls. Dates from the same time that they built the rear section of the main house, two years before Rutland was granted its charter." He gave Giles a glance. "But I doubt if you think that's very noteworthy."

Rupert sat the luggage down. "Pardon?"

"Being from England I'd imagine you think 240 years old is just getting broken in."

"It's a fair age... 240 years." Giles answered with a bit of uncertainty as to what Karen's father was getting at. He fiddled a bit with his glasses and looked around the small two room guesthouse before offering. "It's very cozy."

"I'm sure you folks are tired." Karn said as he began to leave. "Make yourselves at home."

The door shut with the last word.

Giles frowned and thought back over the last two hours. Their arrival in Rutland, dinner out and a quick nickel tour of the city as they had made their way to the Karn residence. Ray had been polite, but a bit standoffish with them allowing the conversation to be carried along by Karen and Matthew. Rupert glanced out the window and watched their host pace up the sidewalk passing his future son-in-law and without a pause enter his home. "I wonder if we should have stayed at a hotel?"

"I'm beginning to wonder the same thing." Joyce agreed with a sigh as she sat down on the loveseat. "He's not a very friendly man."

"We'll just make the best of it." Rupert offered, opening the door for Matt.

"How much stuff did you bring Old Man?" Matt sputtered as he handed off a garment bag.

"That's Buffy's." Joyce pointed out.

"I only brought the basics." Giles answered to his son. Then he held up the bag and furrowed his brow as he eyed it. "If this one is Buffy's where's yours?"

"Probably still on the forklift." Matt sniped only halfway good-naturedly. "You wanna give me a hand? There's still about two trips left." He dropped the rest of his load in the doorway and stretched. "Good thing we brought two vans to come and pick you guys up."

Rupert shook his head. "All right.. enough. But I'll tell you now that I will be vindicated when my supplies come in handy."

Joyce giggled and took Buffy's bag from him. "Yes dear, you will show us all. I'm going to take this to Buffy and see if any of our things were taken in the other house."

Matt held the door for her and as she left gave his dad a sidelong glance. "So you're staying out here with her, huh? When did that happen?"

"Joyce and I have become very close over the past few weeks."

"Un-huh."

"Very close." Giles repeated as he adjusted his coat and went on out the door. "Well, let's get the van unloaded."

"Anything else you want to tell me?"

"In regard to..?" Rupert said with a touch of annoyance.

"Like, are you just messing around or am I going to end up related to Buffy?" Matt bluntly asked.

Rupert stopped on the sidewalk, his breath frosting in the November air. "I do not see where this matter is any of your business."

"Just asking." Matt said a bit taken aback. "It's cool."

"Yes it is 'cool'." Rupert clipped out each word and worked his jaw for a second as he considered whether to continue this thread or not. With a rub of his eyes he decided that he was not up to it. "If you want, we will discuss this in the morning. I'm tired. It has been a long day and I'm not even really sure what time it is."

"It's midnight Old Man." Matt answered. "But your bod's saying that it's twenty-one hundred." He gave his head a nod toward the vans. "Let's get this done so everybody can settle in." Giving his dad a searching look he added. "I'm... uh, glad.. glad your here"

"I wouldn't have missed it for the world." Giles said truthfully. He caught a quick tensing in Matt's stance that said volumes more than the noncommittal grunt that followed. "Is something wrong?"

"Naa." Matt answered. "I'm kinda wore out too."

Giles took a few steps in silence then made a motion toward the main house. "Mr. Karn seems rather distracted. Is there a problem with us being here?"

Matt rolled his eyes. "Distracted? You could say that, but it's his own fault." He opened the van door, hopped in and began to push the last of the luggage forward. "The big yearly meeting is this week and he's in charge of it. All the crews are coming in and the paperwork and crap has him buried." A look of conspiracy crossed the young man's face and he poked his head out to give a quick scan of the area. "Just between you, me and the fencepost... Charlie's going to announce his resignation as head honcho and Ray's gonna have to scramble to convince Luis to take over."

A smile worked its way onto Rupert's face. "I see. So it's Alliance business that has him so troubled. Thought it might be that fact that his home has been taken over by strangers."

"That's not it." Matt assured. "Ray's fine with you guys being here. Just don't ask him anything about the Alliance..." His face broke out into a devilish grin. "...and don't you and Ms. Summers go raiding the cupboard for hot oil and chocolate syrup."

"Matthew... that is quite enough." Rupert groaned only to be cut off by his son's laughter.

"Just though I better tell you the ground rules." Matt continued. "Also, you don't want to cross swords with any of the crossbow wedding command. They will eat you alive." He came back out of the van and assumed a rigid military pose. "As near as I can figure all men in this operation are just suppose to show up and do what they are told to do, which will be on a 'need to know' basis. And so far the only two words you 'need to know' are 'yes Ma'am'."

Giles laughed. "It take it that the 'Cake Lady' is still making your life miserable?"

"Commandant Mary Ann, owner and operator of 'By Invitation Only'. Matt made an imaginary pistol with his fingers and pointed at his own brow. "Just go ahead and shoot me now."

"By Invitation Only?" Rupert echoed.

"Yeah, it's some all inclusive outfit with a big party hall about a mile out of town. Throw money at her and stand back while she does it all, invitations, wedding, reception, food, drink, Karen's dress, my monkey suit." Matt's mouth became a thin line. "She's been doing this stuff since for-freakin'-ever and as an added bonus she's related to both Karen's granny's people and her Aunt Sue's husband's people." He threw up his hands. "And she's also doing the big dinner that kicks off the Alliance meeting Thursday night. I ain't got a cat's chance in hell."

"Aren't you being a little theatrical?" Giles smiled as his son began to pace.

"This morning she brought over the menu for the rehearsal dinner, it's enough to feed a third world country." He puffed out an exasperated exhale. "Then she went off on this whole seating thing tangent for the reception. The bride's family sits here, the groom's family sits there, yadda, yadda, yadda. And then.."

Rupert froze as for the first time the reality of Matt's mother being there shot through his mind. He shifted a bit of his feet wondering how he could face the woman he "met" once twenty-four years before.

To illustrate his opinion of wedding planning, Matt pulled the pin on an imaginary grenade and gave it a toss. "...then Karen's Aunt Denise started this big argument because Karen's side is outnumbering mine by about a million to one and she thought that the traditional seating should be shitcanned. That's when I bailed and went out to the Alliance headquarters and practiced my archery, which got me yelled at when I got back."

"What do you mean?" Giles asked with a fidget.

"Karen was mad that I left."

Rupert grimaced for a second. "No, I mean what is the problem with the seating?"

Matt made an odd "cluck" noise and shrugged. "You're it Old Man. My guest list was real short."

"What about your mother and step-sisters?"

"Mom's not coming, none of them are." Matt monotoned.

Rupert felt a guilty relief but still inquired. "Why not?"

"She said that Vermont is too far off but what she really meant was that she didn't give a rat's ass. But then I didn't tell her that Karen's people are loaded, that would have made a difference."

"That's a rather cold statement, Matthew."

"If the foo shits wear it." Matt grumbled as he went back to unloading the van. "You take those little bags I'll get the suitcases."

"Matthew." Giles began, but Matt was already heading for the guest house. He loaded himself up with four satchels, kicked the van door back shut and followed. "Matthew! Would you care to elaborate?"

Matt stopped in his tracks and laughed darkly. "Nuttin' else to say Old Man. I sent her an invite along with this big, long letter telling her about how I've been working for the last five years, telling her about Karen and the baby and how I'm going back to school and getting my head screwed back on." His laughter faded. "It bounced back two Friday's ago, 'return to sender, no forwarding address on file'. So I got on the horn to information and tracked her down. Called her and like I said she didn't give a shit."

The anger in the young man's voice was underscored by hurt.

"What all did you tell her?"

"Couldn't tell her anything!"" Matt lashed out. "Her opening line to me was 'are you calling from jail again'?"

"This... this is the first contact you have made with her since you left home?" Rupert softly asked.

"Yeah." Matt acknowledged. "Except for the.. when, when Deb was murdered." His voice cracked and then went angry. "And that time she told me never to call her again 'cause I was just like you and she was washing her hands of me too. So what the hell Old Man? Looks to me like we're both just dogshit in her book."

The statement twisted like a knife into Rupert. Matthew caught the flash of distress that flickered like a shadow over his father's face and swore under his breath, cursing himself for ever opening his mouth as he turned on his heel and stomped up to the guesthouse.

Giles bowed his head as a sickening mix of emotion whirled within him with guilt leading the blitzkrieg upon his conscience. "Again 'Ripper's' legacy rears its foul head, good job you worthless devil." He mentally berated himself as he entered the cottage.

Matt had tossed the bags into the middle of the floor and was trying hard to change the subject. "You want this stuff here or in the bedroom?" He tossed his head toward the small kitchenette in the corner of the room. "And you need any grub from the house? Ray said you guys can go ahead and eat in the big house but if you want to..."

"Did your search for me provoke this animosity between your mother and yourself?" Rupert interrupted.

"No way." Matt answered a bit to quickly. "She's always been a loser."

"MATTHEW!" Rupert barked, dropping his bags and crossing the room to go nose to nose with his son. "I will not tolerate that sort of rudeness toward.. ah.. her."

"Her name's Gloria." Matt snotted back. "Remember?"

"Of course I do." Giles lied.

Matt stepped out of the space and headed for the door. "Yeah.. right, sure you do. Never thought you would take her side."

"There is no 'side'!" Rupert snapped, pacing around Matt and positioning himself between the young man and the door. "This lecture is about your total lack of respect toward your mother!"

"You've heard the stories Old Man!" Matthew snapped back as the same decibel level. "Oh yeah, I really got a shitpile of reasons to look up to her. Five asshole step-dads in eighteen years; we got taken away once and she got us back; evicted more damned times than I can remember; on and off welfare..." He clenched a fist and waved it in Rupert's face. "...And yeah, she knew I was trying to find you those last couple of years I was there, but she was always too wasted to care."

Giles smacked the fist away. "And you seem to think that hating her will rectify all the past failings? Why don't you go assault her in the same manner that you beat the 'ell out of me?" He gave Matt a hard push backward. "Christ! I'm the one you should hate!"

Matt's eyes became slits. "Maybe I do Old Man.. maybe I do." He jerked his thumb to the side and took a step forward. "Now, you wanna get the fuck outta of my way?"

"Watch your language." Rupert warned.

"Watch 'this'." Matt shot back with an obscene gesture.

The outer door squeaked, signaling to them that Joyce had returned.

"We will continue this conversation in the morning." Giles growled.

Matt curled his lip into a sneer. "Why bother?"

Giles stepped back from the door and opened it for Joyce.

"Glad I went to look. My make-up bag was..." She stopped mid-sentence as the tension in the room washed over her. "What's the matter? Is something.."

Matt gave Giles a final dark glare and went out the door, giving it a slam.

"Rupert?"

Giles did not acknowledge her with either word or motion.

Joyce peered out the door watching as Matt went storming down the driveway heading for God knows where. "Rupert? What... what happened? Where's he going?"

Giles snatched up his suitcase and snapped. "I'm going to bed."

"Don't clam up on me." Joyce countered.

Rupert dropped the bag and ran his hand back through his hair. "We had an argument over the vile, unforgiving attitude he holds toward his mother." Tightjawed, he turned toward Joyce. "And he also revealed his true feelings toward me. Joyce, this wedding is a mistake and us being here is a mistake." He shook his head sadly. "I'm tired, please Luv... I'd rather not talk about this at this time."

She came up to him and rubbed his shoulders for a moment. "All right... let's get some sleep."

"Well, that's worthless." Ethan snipped as he floated down from his perch on the mantle. "I was hoping that the two of you would provide some entertainment." The shade stuck his head through a front window and observed Matt crossing the street. "Believe I'll just follow the 'mad lad' and see what he's up to." He swiveled his head back and forth a few times and grinned. "You know what Ripper? That boy of yours is the spitting image of you in more ways than one."