Disclaimer: Joss owns the Buffyverse, I only play in it
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Chapter 22: Exposition

Buffy wasn’t drunk when she got home. She did consume two margaritas, but that was when she was desperately trying to not kill Hallie. The house was quiet. Dawn, Willow and Tara had come home long before she had and were obviously already asleep.

But where was Spike?

Buffy grabbed a carton of grapefruit juice from the fridge and poured herself a glass. He wasn’t in the house, she could feel that much just by being in the house herself. Setting the carton down, Buffy calmed her inner senses and reached out trying to find her mate. She felt that familiar buzz of alcohol and realized at once where he was.

He was at Willy’s. Getting hammered.

Well at least one of us is going to be drunk, she thought.

The idea briefly of going to join him was squelched by the fact that she was so overly tired that she would probably pass out after her first drink. She satisfied her self with sending Spike naughty thoughts via her link with him, in hopes of getting him home to her faster.
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Buffy stretched out her arms happily the next morning and snuggled closer to her mate. She had met him at the door, wackiness had ensued. Now, the next morning, with a fresh wound on her neck, Buffy debated about whether or not she should tell Spike about Halfrek, before he found out on his own.

“Out with it,” ordered a sleepy vampire.

“Huh?” Buffy mumbled.

“I can practically hear the wheels turning in your head, Goldilocks.”

“Then tell me oh great one, if you can hear my wheels, what am I thinking about?”

“Shagging me until I dust?”

Buffy giggled. “That is always foremost in my thoughts.”

“Damn right,” he said pulling her closer.

“Which remind me of thing that happened last time... We are going to the bronze tonight.”

“Why’s that pet?”

“Fun balcony sex.”

Spike groaned happily.

“Spike?”

“Ya pet,” he said kissing and licking the marks he made on her neck the night before.

“At Anya’s bridal shower last night...there was someone there...You remember Halfrek from the engagement party?”

“Yes,” said Spike all cautious. He didn’t like how she was approaching the subject. “Brunette, veiny, drama queen.”

“Right, well she let a few things slip, about how she was elevated, and she is very pretty without the veins, almost you could say...effulgent?”

Spike bolted away from Buffy like she was the sun itself.

“Halfrek is Cecily, Spike.”

“Cecily Underwood is dead.”

“Are you so sure about that? Did you see her body? The way she tells it after she broke your heart, she trapped her parents in a never ending waltz and was elevated by D’Hoffryn.”

“She never did like our parties,” mumbled Spike.

“I just wanted to let you know, so she doesn’t surprise you with it.”

Spike flopped back on the bed, his arms spread wide for a moment before sitting up again.

“Just how...”

“Effulgent? You might want to reconsider what you keep in that lock box at Wolfram and Hart Spike.”
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Buffy set the scythe down on the Magic Box’s research table and looked around at the assembled Scoobies. They had gathered here today to hear Buffy’s tale of woe and horror, and to help in what way they could in the upcoming battle with the first evil.

“Hey I just came, cause we are going Bronzing later,” said Dawn indignantly.

Buffy rolled her eyes. Willow, Tara, Amy, Giles, Anya, Dawn, Giles, Xander and Spike, peppered the room.

“A year from now we are going to be in the fight of our lives. I’ve seen it, it’s not pretty, there’s violence, teenagers taking over my house, betrayal, bombs, and nasty woman hating preacher men, and he’s probably out there right now. The First Evil, the thing that tried to get Angel to kill himself three years ago, will be back and more powerful than ever. Spike dies. Anya dies. And none of us are ever the same again.”

The scoobies, with the exception of Spike, Buffy and Anya, looked shocked at Anya’s predicted death.

“What? She told me like weeks ago,” said Anya who had gotten out another bag of Portanus to munch on.

“So what we are going to do it stop it?” asked Xander.

“The First told me that it was me being brought back to life that upset the balance. There is more than one slayer. So we have to make it so that there is only one slayer again,” said Buffy.

“Are we going to kill Faith?” asked Anya.

“No, cause the Slayer line passes through her, another slayer would be called,” explained the slayer.

“So how do we make it so that there is only one slayer then?” asked Willow. “Cause last time I checked it sorta wasn’t up to us.”

“We need to find a spell. A spell that restores balance.”

“We would need to have an idea of what the slayer essence, if you will, was before we even attempted what you are proposing,” said Giles.

“Well, here it is,” said Buffy picking up the scythe from the table before them.

“Huh?” asked Xander.

“The essence of Slayer power is in this scythe,” stated Buffy matter of factly.

“And you know this how?” asked Anya.

“I’m older than dirt, just trust me on this one, k?”

“What does that make me then?” said Anya bitterly.

“That’s a good point,” noted Xander. “What is older than dirt?”

“Your blushing bride?” offered Giles.

Xander awkwardly put his arm around Anya and smiled. Anya didn’t look happy. Not happy at all.
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Three hours of research later and they were still no closer to a solution. Willow thought she could make up the spell herself, to which Tara gave her a disapproving look. As they searched, Buffy couldn’t help but think about how this was all going to go down, even if they did find a spell. Should she let Willow participate at all?

Dawn threw down a book in disgust.

“I thought you said we were going to the Bronze?” she whined.

“I didn’t lie,” sighed Buffy.

In an instant Spike was by her side and holding out his arm for her to take. Buffy stood up and smiled at her mate. She had been sensing his increasing boredom for the past three hours. She slipped her arm around his and leaned her head against his shoulder.

“The Bronze?” she inquired.

“Thank god!” exclaimed Dawn as she brushed past the couple and out the door.
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The music in the Bronze pounded against her skull. The beat was forcing parts of her body to move along with it. Sitting at the table with glasses of beer in front of her and her vampire curled up around her, despite being seated on his own stool, Buffy found herself staring at her right index finger that was tapping out the beat on Spike’s hand. He didn’t seem to mind much, as long as she let him take an occasional sip of Guinness. Out on the dance floor Dawn and Amy danced to the music, Tara and Willow were whispering sweet nothings into each other’s ears across the table from the mated couple. Anya and Xander were having a heated discussion about a wedding related item at the bar.

Buffy reached forward and took Spike’s beer and sipped. He watched in fascination as she licked the foam from her lips. She did miss a bit though at the very corner of her mouth. Spike leaned over and licked it from her skin.

“I didn’t know you liked your Guinness, pet.”

“You don’t live in England for over 50 years without growing an appreciation for actual beer.” She smiled. “This American stuff, it’s nasty.”

“Says the American.”

“I’m transplanted, and mated to a Brit, that’s got to count for something.”

“It does at that pet. So what’s on the Slayers list of things to do? What evil is afoot tonight?”

“Well, nerds are in jail, including Warren, so no time shifting demon, no dead Katrina. Just balcony sex.”

That got Willow and Tara’s attention.

Buffy smiled at their shocked faces. “What?” asked the slayer innocently. “You should try it, though the mechanics in your case might be slightly different...”

Spike snerked at Willow’s mouth hanging open. Buffy smiled and grabbed Spike’s hand leading him from the table, just as Xander and Anya approached.

“Where are they going?” asked Xander.

“Balcony sex,” said Tara calmly.

“Damn it, now it’s occupied,” said Anya. “We are next though, k?”
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tbc...