Chapter 15
The Scoobies blankly stared at the crying
slayer as the man called Hoston lead her over to sit at the table.
Dante cleared his throat “Perhaps I should
introduce our newcomers.” He waited for the group to turn their attention to
him. “This is Rupert Hoston and his wife Sarah.”
Hoston nodded “Yes I was Rebecca’s watcher
until she died”
Rebecca’s sobs had subsided; she searched
his face “How?”
“Are you a demon?” questioned
“No I am very human” Hoston looked towards
Spike for confirmation.
“Smells human” Spike confirmed “Plus he does
have a heartbeat.”
Rebecca searched Hoston’s face “You’ve been
here all this time?”
Hoston nodded as the others waited for an
explanation.
Dante spoke up “Midian’s timeline works
differently to most other dimensions.
For every full day that passes here only one hour passes in your
timeline.”
Buffy remembered when she had sent Angel to
hell “I’ve heard of that before.” She frowned slightly “But why isn’t he long
dead? It’s been over a hundred years since he was last seen so if he’s still
human he should be dust.”
“Yes well in most cases you would be
correct, however in Midian the aging process in humans is the reverse to the
passage of time. For a resident to look
as though they have aged one full year approximately 24 of your years and 570
Midian years would have to pass.”
“Well that would suck” exclaimed Dawn
The others looked at her puzzled
“Well you would stay a baby for what?
Hundreds of years.”
Buffy’s face took on a look of horror “Oh my
God you would be a teenager for ever.”
Dante laughed “Luckily for some reason the
change in the aging process doesn’t start until adulthood. Up until then our children age normally
depending on their place of birth. If
they are born in Midian they age in our years, if they are born in the human
world they age as a normal human baby, unless they reside in Midian for more
then 6 months. They seem to adapt to our
timeline around then.”
“Oh” Buffy didn’t quite understand but it
would explain why Rebecca’s watcher and Giles’s relative? Uncle? Looked to be about the same age as Giles.
Hoston looked at the others gathered around
the table “I moved to Salus shortly after Rebecca’s death. I just couldn’t stay after….” He looked away
uncomfortably “Sarah and I stayed there until the attacks when we were able to
bring a few of the children here.”
Rebecca merely nodded as she tried to digest
this latest information.
Giles cleared his throat and spoke up “I
think perhaps we should get back to why we are all here?” he eyed Hoston
curiously “Perhaps we could meet later to…catch up?”
The others nodded in agreement as they all
settled back into place so that the meeting could begin.
Dante began again “Anya has informed us that
you wish to form an alliance.” Buffy and
Giles nodded slowly “You must understand that the existence of Midian has been
kept secret from most of the outside dimensions. Although it would be impossible for the
council to actually enter our realm to commit violence they can attack any who
leave here as well as destroy the doorways like the one you entered through
today.”
Buffy looked towards Anya “Why didn’t you
tell us about this place before?”
Anya looked uncomfortable “It was not
allowed” she looked towards Dante as if seeking permission “For over a century
the Slayer has been an enemy, not an ally.
If I were to have exposed Midian, at the very least I would not have
been permitted to return.”
Hoston took over the conversation “Before
the attacks the Slayer would visit the community nearest her to train.” He
removed his small wire frame glasses and began to clean them “With the
difference in the timelines it was an ideal situation. The Slayer could train for days without
leaving the human world unprotected for more than a few hours.”
The Scoobies stared at Hoston in fascination
as he studiously continued to clean his glasses. Giles shifted uncomfortable as they turned to
look at him, wide grins on all their faces.
“I can see how that would be an efficient way to train.” He felt his own
hands inching towards his face before he remembered that he was currently sans
spectacles. He looked towards Dante and
the others “If we are to go up against the council it would be highly
beneficial for us to resume the alliance.”
The tall woman called Jayala spoke for the
first time “How can we be sure that you mean us no harm?” her voice had a soft
lyrical quality to it “There are many demon families here that would become
vulnerable should our presence be revealed.”
Rebecca took this opportunity to speak “I do
not believe that Buffy and her friends would do anything that could bring harm
to Midian and its people.” She glanced at Spike “They have formed alliances
with demons before and from what I’ve been told, they have stood by them.”
Dante stood and motioned for the others from
Midian to join him “If you’ll excuse us for a moment” they quickly moved out of
the room.
The Scoobies looked to Anya who merely
smiled “It’s going very well.”
Xander looked confused “But we haven’t
really talked about anything?”
Anya merely smiled “Mathew is a Shartala,
they are empathic demons. He has spent
the entire time reading your intentions.
If he believes that none of you are a threat then it is highly likely
that a mutually beneficial alliance will be formed.”
A small gnome like creature entered and
offered them refreshments while they were waiting. Each of them took a tankard sniffing the
contents lightly before drinking.
*********************************************************************
The others soon returned to their places at
the table. Dante waited for everyone to settle
before he spoke “Midian welcomes you.” He inclined his head slightly to each of
the Scoobies in turn “We believe that we can assist you in your quest Miss
Summers.”
Buffy and Giles both expelled a low breathe,
the tension easing from their bodies.
“So how is this going to work, do we need to
sign something or...” Buffy let the sentence hang, hoping that they wouldn’t
have to sign in blood.
“Your word is sufficient Miss Summers.”
“So how is
this going to work”
Dante thought for a moment “I think that I
will assign an elder to assist each of you for the next few days.” He turned to
Bo “Isabo could you assist Miss Summers, Rebecca and…do you prefer William or
Spike?”
Spike shifted uncomfortably “Doesn’t
matter.”
“William then!
Could you train them in some of the older weapons that they may not be
familiar with. Especially the ones that
would be most useful against Dretgo’s.”
Bo was nodding her acceptance when
“Annoying” muttered Xander as he picked up
his drink.
Anya sat back arms crossed a huge smile on
her face, Xander fixed firmly in her sights ‘This is going to be good’.
Sarah leant across the table to pat
Xander spit his drink out across the table
as he began to choke, he turned incredulous eyes towards Bo “What…how…huh”
finally his mind seemed to grasp onto something “SUN!” he yelled almost jumping
from his seat “Sun…with the sunshine and…and…SUN!”
Bo gentle tucked her hair behind one ear and
showed him the small green gem that sat on her lobe. “Amaran gems.”
Spike’s full attention was now fixed on the
tiny earrings “But I thought that the Gem of Amara was destroyed.”
“Oh that” Bo looked a bit disgusted “Let’s
just say that that particular gem belonged to a blabbermouth.”
Spike could feel hope rising up within him
“So there’s more of those pretty baubles then luv?”
Bo smiled “The gem isn’t the source of power
itself, merely the receptacle.” She motioned towards Jayala “Any gem can become
Amaran if it is blessed by an Amaran priestess.”
Jayala smiled “I would be more than happy to
provide you with a blessing William.”
She looked to
Spike rose, a huge smile plastered across
his face as he followed the others out of the room.
*********************************************************************
Anya watched as Xander continue to stare at
Bo, occasionally his mouth would open as if to speak, but then it would snap
back shut. Anya could almost see his
mind slowly ticking over as he tried to process that fact that his new crush
was the very thing he professed to hate so much.
Bo simply stared back at him innocently;
Mathew had warned her that Xander may not take the news ‘well’. She gave Anya a conspiratorial smile; the two
had spoken often after D’Hoffran had sent Anya to them to heal. Bo had been curious about the man that had
hurt Anya so badly, she also knew however that Anya had finally admitted that
they were never meant to be together and that both of them would have been
miserable.
Bo gave Xander another broad smile and a
wink before turning her attention back to the others.
Dante looked towards Giles “Rupert and Sarah
will accompany Mr. Giles and Mr. Harris to our archives and provide them with
any information that they may need with regards to the Dretgo’s and their
allies.” Dante paused momentarily “I
suggest you listen carefully to what Sarah tells you Mr. Giles.”
Giles looked towards Sarah curiously.
Sarah graced him with a motherly smile “I am
a Dretgan demon Mr. Giles; we are an evolved form of the Dretgo.” She heard the
gasps of the others left at the table “We do not feed upon our mates or
children. The Dretgo’s actually consider
us to be the lower being.”
There was silence from the remaining
Scoobies, that is until Xander's head hit the table with a resounding thud as he
began to mutter softly. Dawn and Buffy
craned forward trying to hear what he was saying. Dawn snickered as she made out the words she
moved to whisper in Buffy’s ear “Good Demons.”
Giles moved around the table and tried to
gently pull Xander up so that they could get to work. Xander lifted his head and looked at him
blankly “My head hurts”.
“Well don’t bash it against a lump of wood.”
Xander looked back down at the table as if
deep in thought “Ok”
Giles sighed and pinched the bridge of his
nose with his thumb and forefinger “Now that we’ve established that fact can we
please get to work?”
“Ok” Xander stood up still looking dazed and
walked up to Sarah; he gave her an odd look “Good demon?”
Sarah smoothed his hair “Yes dear I’m a good
demon”
“Ok”
Sarah linked her arm through Xander's and
gently led him out.
“I think you broke him” Dawn smirked at Bo.
Anya snorted “He’ll just have to get over
it.”
Dawn looked around the now depleted group
“So do I get a job” she asked hopefully.
“You are the key” Mathew spoke for the first
time since the meeting began.
“Yes, but since Glory’s dead I don’t think I
do anything anymore.”
Mathew pressed a large clawed hand against
Dawn’s forehead “The power still courses through you.” He gave her a steady look “I can teach you to
harness that power.”
Buffy leapt from her seat and tried to pull
Dawn away “No. There will be no
harnessing of anything. I will not let
you hurt Dawn.”
“Why would I hurt her?”
“Because…Because it involves cutting and
blood. And it’s not of the good. No cutting Dawn” Buffy hovered over Dawn
protectively.
Mathew looked horrified “Why would I cut
her. I was going to teach her how to
harness her energy through meditation and training.”
Buffy felt her fear deflate as she looked
down at Dawn’s pleading eyes “Please Buffy”
“There’s not cutting?” Buffy was still unsure
“No cutting or harming of any kind” Mathew
reassured her “Anya will be helping me.
“Her knowledge of teleportation and dimensions will be useful in helping
Dawn focus her abilities accurately.”
“What are my abilities?” Dawn was curious now; she stood up preparing
to leave with Anya and Mathew.
“One of them is the ability to create
dimensional doorways like the one you used to get here” Mathew chatted amiably
to Dawn as the left the room.
Dante waited for the others to leave “We
have sent clothing for you and your companions to your abode Miss Summers. I hope you don’t mind but I assumed that you
would remain here for a few days before returning home.” He slowly stood
“William should return shortly so that you can begin your training.” Dante moved forward to take Buffy’s hands
briefly staring intently into her eyes before turning and leaving the room.
Buffy turned to face Bo “So vamp huh?”
Bo nodded “Yep, I was turned in 1901”
“So you’re like way old then”
Bo laughed “Not as old as Anya”
Buffy joined her “I keep telling Xander that
he’s a demon magnet.”
Rebecca laughed at that comment.
“What’s so funny pet?”
The girls turned to look at Spike as he
sauntered into the room flashing them a wide grin. He just couldn’t contain his excitement at
now possessing another Amaran gem; he was practically bouncing as he walked.
“I was just saying that Xander's a demon
magnet” Buffy caught a flash of green on Spikes finger
‘So he went for a
ring again.’
Spike merely smirked before throwing his arm
across Rebecca’s shoulder; he reached over to drag Buffy to him and threw his
other arm around her as well. “C’mon
let’s go play in the sun.” The three of them walked outside into the
sunlight. Spike paused for a moment letting
the warmth rush over him; his skin tingled at the feel. Suddenly he released the girls and ran
forward arms stretched wide spinning around like a small child.
Bo stood between the girls as they laughed
at his antics “Come on lets put all that energy to work”.
The small group walked towards the outskirts
of the village Spike talked and bounced the whole way. For once in his unlife everything was
perfect.