Chapter 16

 The Scoobies spent the next four Midian days training.   

Willow and Tara had been working with Jayala learning different protection spells, they were now confident that they could place one around Buffy’s home without imploding the house.   

Willow and Tara had been surprised to learn that Amaran’s were in fact not a race of demons but a religious order made up of demons and humans.  Jayala had invited both girls to become her apprentices and both were seriously considering the offer. 

Dawn had spent most of her time meditating with Mathew and Anya.  Anya had explained the basics of dimensional teleportation and Mathew had shown her that by concentrating on the power that flowed within, she could pull it forward and direct it without the need for bloodletting.   

Late on the fourth day and after many hours of meditation Dawn had made her first attempt at utilizing her powers.  Anya had moved to another room and Dawn had managed to open a small window to her about the size of a saucer.  Although nothing had been able to pass through the window they had managed to wave a quick hello to each other before Dawn’s excitement had caused it to snap shut.   

Dawn had promised to meditate daily and practice often as Mathew assured her that the more she did; the easier it would become for her to call on her power. 

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Spike sat on a large rock watching Buffy, Rebecca and Bo as they cycled through a series of exercises involving the use of a large axe like weapon.  They had learnt that to destroy a Dretgo completely you had to either behead it or do irreparable damage to its brain.    

The weapons they were training with had been specially designed for this purpose.  Bo had called them Redwulfs; they looked like a combination of a Celtic Halberd and a medieval mace.  The four foot long staff had a spear with a double bladed axe head at its base on one end and a large spiked mace head on the other.  A thick metallic band circled the centre of the staff, Spike had grinned with delight when Bo had depressed a small trigger at the base of the band causing a wooden stake to extend from the mace head.  The trio had then been amazed as she deftly twisted the weapon into two pieces with a simple wrist movement.   

Spike watched Buffy and Rebecca closely as their muscles flexed with each controlled move.  He had been amazed to discover that they were in perfect sync with each other, almost to the point of being a mirror image.  He groaned as he stood to join them once again. 

On their first day of training Spike had insisted that they not just concentrate on learning the new techniques.  Still bursting with excitement over his regained invincibility he had suggested that instead of pulling their punches when training with the stake component of the weapon; that the girls follow through.  After all it couldn’t kill him. 

He had forgotten just how much a stake to the heart actually hurt.  Earlier in the day he had suggested that he and Bo attack the two slayers, after about half an hour of fighting Bo had been successfully staked by Rebecca and the two slayers then double teamed him.  He had felt like he was flying, the three of them dancing in perfect synchronization.   

The problem with the perfect dance was that it had to come to an end, and did so when both slayers plunged their Redwulfs home at the same time.  Buffy’s found its way into his chest, while Rebecca’s had pierced his back.  Spike’s eyes had widened at the feeling, he was certain that the tips had met in the middle.  The wounds had healed instantly; however, the sensation was disconcerting.  

Spike braced himself as he once again lifted his Redwulf and took his place beside the other three.  They cycled through the moves one more time before finishing and heading home. 

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Xander was trudging towards home when he saw Bo and the others heading in from the training field, he quickly ducked out of sight as he watched Bo leave the others at their door. 

He had been carefully avoiding her over the past few days; Xander sighed and rested his head against the tree beside him.  He had found the last few days exhausting, his head hurt and his heart hurt.  Not only was he overloaded with research, definitely not his strong point, but he’d had to contend with Anya popping in and getting all snuggly with Giles.  He supposed he should be thankful that they spent every night at Anya’s place so he didn’t have to hear them as well.   

Xander had also noticed Rebecca’s watcher and his wife casting Giles furtive glances, obviously wanting to speak to him in private.  That’s why he had taken a chance to escape for a few minutes. 

“Penny for them” 

Xander jumped and turned around to face Bo, she held her hand towards him palm up, a penny lying in the center of her hand.  He glanced back towards where he had last seen her. 

“Vamp remember, we tend to move pretty fast.” 

“Yeah”  

Bo lifted her hand higher, offering him the penny once more.  Xander picked it up with uncertain fingers turning it over before closing his hand around it. 

Bo started to walk towards the stream “So are you coming?” 

He unfurled his hand and stared at the penny once more, before clenching his fist back around it.  “Yeah I’m coming.” 

They reached the spot where they had sat that first day.  Xander fiddled with the penny in his hand not quite sure what he was doing.  “I feel old.” He sighed and leant back against the tree. 

“I am old” Bo turned to face him legs crossed “Tell me.” 

Suddenly Xander felt anger rise inside him “WHY DO YOU CARE?” he shouted. 

Bo merely stared back at him silently. 

“I mean, you’re a demon” Xander jumped up and began to pace “Demons are supposed to be the bad guy’s.  There’s supposed to be a line, you’re supposed to be able to tell.” 

Xander clenched his fists as the anger came spewing forward “It was easy at first, humans good, demons bad.  Then came Angel and it was all…he has a soul…so we trust him.  Then what happens?  Bang oops souls gone so now he’s the bad guy.  And then it’s… ohh souls back…he’s a good guy again.” 

“And don’t even get me started on Spike…he’s bad…then he’s helping, but he’s still bad.  He leaves then comes back, then leaves, then comes back.  He gets a chip so we can’t stake him ‘because he’s helpless, but he’s still the bad guy.  Then he’s the good guy…why…’cause he’s banging Buffy?  All the Summers women love him you know! Joyce, Dawn, Buffy.” 

“Then there’s Anya.” The anger seemed to leave him in a rush when he came to Anya.  Xander flopped to the ground his voice thickening with emotion “It’s only been a couple of months, how can she just forget about me like that?” 

Bo waited for him to finish his rant “Xander, how long was Anya gone for?” 

Xander rubbed his eyes tiredly “A few months.” 

“You know that she was here for some of that time, don’t you?” 

He nodded silently. 

“Anya was here for about six of your weeks.” Bo watched him quietly as she waited for Xander to realise what she was saying. “So…” 

Xander suddenly understood “So…time works differently here.” 

“Anya was here for about 2 ½ Midian years.” Bo gently rubbed his shoulders “It took her a long time to get over you Xander.” 

For some reason that seemed to make Xander feel a little better.  He gave Bo a wry smile “So you…” 

“Me.” 

“A vamp hey?” Xander seemed uncertain “So have you…you know…umm” 

“Eaten anybody!”  Bo decided to be honest “Yes Xander I have killed, not for over a hundred human years.  But yes I’ve killed.” 

“Oh” 

Bo continued “It was during the war, I was taking Rupert and Sarah’s baby son to a safe place.  I was on my way back when I was attacked by a gang of human men.”  Bo turned her face to the night sky.  “There was eight of them, they raped me and left me in an alley.  A vamp must have seen what happened and decided to turn me after they left.  When I rose he had them all locked in an old barn ready for me.”  Bo shuddered “I tore them apart and I mean tore apart.  Limb from limb.  I think I even scared my sire because he abandoned me after that.  Some part of me knew that I to find my way to Midian; they took me in and helped me overcome my bloodlust.” 

The two sat as in silence as the sun slowly faded. 

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Giles sat at the table, books strewn in front of him, a hand rubbing wearily across his eyes.  In his other hand he now held a small pair of wire frame glasses he had borrowed from Hoston.  Luckily they had similar prescriptions, Giles idly thought about where Hoston got his glasses. 

He glanced up startled when a hand place a glass in front of him, the contents looking suspiciously like scotch.  Giles lifted the glass and sniffed ‘smells like scotch’, he tilted the glass, letting the warm fluid slide down his throat, sighing as he felt his body begin to relax. 

The past few days working with Xander had been, uncomfortable, to say the least.  Most of the time they had been able to work together with the ease that comes from years of routine, however whenever Anya had visited the atmosphere would become strained.   

Giles was aware of the furtive glances Xander would cast his way whenever Anya would settle on his lap  and begin catching them up on Dawn’s progress.  Xander's eyes were filled with longing, pain and sorrow with a healthy dose of bitterness thrown in.  Giles had tried to broach the subject several times; however Xander would brush of his attempts and change the subject.   

Giles turned his gaze to Hoston who had silently taken a seat across from him. “I believe that we are related.” Giles took another taste of his drink “Katherine was my great grandmother, your sister I believe?”  

Giles waited for the other man to nod in confirmation. “Yes Katherine was my younger sister.”  

“Did she know about this community?” Giles was curious as to whether his grandmother had kept secrets from him. 

Hoston studied him carefully before continuing “Yes she knew.” 

Giles felt disappoint course through him, he had always thought that his grandmother had shared everything with him. 

“She also knew that after the attacks anyone with alliances to Midian and its outlying communities was in danger.”  Hoston gazed at Giles steadily “Some time before the attacks we had staged a falling out and she distanced herself from me.” 

Hoston reached over to refill Giles’s glass and then his own “I never saw my sister again.  When did she…” he left the question hang. 

“She died in her bed surrounded by family.” Giles reassured him “She was 96, she had a long life.  Even had her own potential slayer for a time.” 

Hoston smiled his thanks “The last time I saw her she was newly married.” 

Giles chuckled “She started having babies straight away, there was the twins first, both boys, then a little girl.” 

Hoston’s eyes teared at the thought of his baby sister grown with a family of her own.  He wished he could have seen her.  “What did she name the children?” 

“The little girl was called Annabelle and the boys were Richard and Samuel.” 

Hoston gasped “The boys.  Were they identical twins?” 

Giles shook his head “Different as day and night.  One was even bigger.  Why?” 

Hoston jumped up excitedly “SARAH!  SARAH!” 

Sarah rushed to her husband’s side “What is it?  What’s wrong?” 

Hoston grasped onto his wife “Katherine had twin boys Richard and SAMUEL.” 

Sarah’s eyes widened as her hand flew to her mouth, they both turned anxious eyes to Giles “When were the twins born?” 

Giles thought for a moment “Mid 1901 I think.” 

Sarah cried out at this and sank into a chair weeping she looked up at Giles “Samuel…do you know if he had a birthmark?” 

Giles frowned “Yes I believe he did; a small crescent on his hip.” 

Hoston wrapped his arms fiercely around his wife as he muttered “He made it.  He made it” he turned to look at Giles once more “When Salus was attacked we were separated from our baby son.  Thankfully Isabo managed to get him to a safe house in the human community, but we never knew what happened to him after that.”  Hoston drew in a deep breathe, expelling it slowly “His name was Samuel, he was two months old.  He had a small crescent birthmark on his hip.” 

“Bloody hell” Giles took a large gulp of his drink.

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