(Enjoined, Chapter 2, cont'd)

Xander opened the door for Buffy, Willow, and Giles. Looking hot and tired, Buffy threw herself down on one bed, Willow did the same on the other. Dawn, seeing Giles' arms full of books said, "Neat. Did you pack them in the school bus before the battle?"

"Um...yes. Dawn, I...what you..." Giles walked directly to the closet, stuck the books on the upper shelf, and almost slammed the door.

Kennedy lied down next to Willow, who quickly sat up. Xander looked around uncertainly, and ended up leaning against the dresser.

"Giles," said Buffy, "Why are you lying? Knowledge is power. Share the power. Share the...um...knowledge."

"I don't..."

Dawn joined her sister on the bed. "S'okay Giles, I'm used to it, and Kennedy had better get used to it."

"Dawn. It's not okay. We want to...Giles...I...are you okay? You look pale."

"Buffy, I mean it. I have no idea why I...We...in the car... Dawn and Kennedy about... And yet I... Even now, I..."

Willow stood. "Giles, it was hot in that warehouse. Have some water, and take off your shirt."

"I will not take off my shirt in a room full of...young wom...well, that's not entirely true, but I refuse to take off my shirt in front of you people. Water sounds like an excellent idea, until Xander goes out to the car and gets some brandy out of the boot."

"Giles, if you're hiding liquor in footwear, I'm fast approaching the solution of the mystery of your weirdness."

Buffy bolted off the bed, gesturing wildly. "Boot. Trunk. He means it's in the trunk of the car. Get the brandy out of the car trunk, please Xander, and no puns."

Willow placed her hand to Giles forehead. "Wait. Giles, water you can have. If this was the heat, alcohol is no-no. Xander, go to the office and ask the desk clerk where to buy some fresh fruit. Oranges would be great because of the potassium. And bananas! And get some pretzels or something else salty, and some Gatorade, too."

"I'll be back before you miss me, and before Willow finishes dictating the shopping list."

Giles jerked his head away from Willow's hand. "Xander wait. Considering what... I don't... not the heat. We've been in an air-conditioned car. Give me a few moments, please, if you don't mind."

"Giles, I don't know what's wrong with you, but you're giving me a heart attack; drink the water, and I'll go get the brandy."

Willow donned her resolve face. "A big 'yes' to the water. A big 'no' to the spirits, not until we're sure, at least. Besides, the brandy must be too warm." said Willow.

Buffy paced. "I am getting a wiggins, a major wiggins. Kennedy, hand me those books."

Giles rose from the tacky orange chair, as if it were burning. "NO!"

Buffy raised her eyebrows at him. Kennedy, who had bristled under Buffy's command in Sunnydale, had already gotten the books. All eyes were on Giles, who had backed away from the girls, and as if he were expecting fraternal support, stood near Xander.

With a metallic tinkle, jewelry landed on the dresser, between the men.

The third book slid out of Kennedy's hand. "Whoa! Those weren't there before, were they?"

"I didn't do that, either," said Willow. "Dawn, are your fingers still sticky?"

Dawn took in the collection of jewelry, mouth agape. "No. Hey! No. I didn't take anything. At least a couple of those things should be..."

"Gone..." Buffy's voice was barely audible. "They should be gone."

Xander was ashen. "At the warehouse, the books just appeared. We were talking about nothing one minute, and the next minute, it was raining books."

"Books that should be gone, but now are back," said Buffy, still whispering.

"It's not the heat that's got me, unless it's got us all. With this jewelry appearing or reappearing, as it were, and the..."

"Books..." Xander shouted.

Buffy narrowed her eyes. "Books... Talk about the books Giles. Tell us the titles again."

Giles, looking helpless, stared at Buffy, but only said, "Willow, warm brandy is nice." The six looked at one another, then the jewelry, then the books, over and over, as if they were watching a three-way Ping Pong game.

"Okay, I can't take the silence. Giles, can you talk about the jewelry?"

"Amulet, amulet, ring, necklace! I can talk about the jewelry. I can talk about the bloody jewelry. Oh. Intriguing jewelry."

Kennedy shuddered. "I'm freaked. What's the story on the jewelry? What is it?"

"Well," said Giles, reveling in ability to participate, "this amulet belonged to Sweet. Almost two years ago, Dawn summoned Sweet to Sunnydale."

"I. DID. NOT! It was Xander."

"Oh, right. You stole the amulet after Xander summoned Sweet to Sunnydale. Sweet enchanted the entire town. Everywhere, people were singing out their innermost feelings."

"His name was Sweet?" asked Buffy.

"Yes, I did some research after you di...when I brought Willow to Bath."

Kennedy probed no further. The groaning of the cheap, rattling motel air conditioner overtook the room.

Dawn finally spoke. "Well, Sweet wasn't so very. Eventually, people ran out of reasons to sing, and would dance until they burned. We almost lost Buffy, 'til Spike…"

"...gave me something to sing about." Buffy seemed intent on studying her sandals.

Dawn looked sadly at her sister. "Anyhow, in addition to Sweet's amulet, that piece with the center stone is Anya's amulet, from when she was a Vengeance Demon. Angel gave Buffy a Claddagh ring; I'm assuming that one, right before he lost his soul. I don't know what the other... Hey! Weren't there four pieces?"

Willow and Kennedy answered, "Yes," simultaneously.

(chapter two cont'd in next post)

---

Blackmail... there's an idea.

Actually, that's a good idea. Lex meets Spike-- finds out that he knows Buffy (and oh, boy, how he knows Buffy, in that good old Biblical sense)-- and puts it together. She's the Slayer; she's hiding something from her friends; she can be blackmailed. Blackmailed into doing what, though? Helping Lex somehow... helping him-- with the business? with Xander?

(Yes, it would. Oh, Goddess, I think I may die laughing at that image. starts filking to the tune of 'I'll Never Tell'

He's bald.

He's evil.

duct tapes own mouth shut

It would make an interesting counterpoint to Giles' words to Buffy, too: "wish I could play the father...")

---

(Enjoined, Chapter 2, cont'd)

Buffy finally met the eyes of her friends. "Giles, cough it up."

"Pardon, cough up what? How should I know where the fourth piece got to?"

"Well, can you tell me where the fourth book got to?"

"I don't know where the fourth piece of jewelry is, Buffy."

"I didn't ask you that, Giles."

Willow gestured for them to calm down. "Buffy, I don't think Giles can tell you anything about the books. But there were four books, and now there are three."

"I'll check the car, and get the brandy out of the trunk." Before his words registered, Xander was gone, door slamming behind him.

Buffy had been on her hands and knees searching the floor around the dresser. Rising, she looked first to the door, and then to the group. "The person nearest the jewelry was Xander. Willow, go outside now. Make sure he's not losing it somewhere."

"Buffy, Xander would never... Scratch that. Giles would never, either."

Willow rushed out into the twilight, and the Twilight Time Motel parking lot. Xander didn't seem to notice her. He shut the little door that covered the opening to the gas tank, retrieved a book from the roof of the car, and opened the trunk. Approaching silently, Willow opened the door Xander had just shut. Hanging from a little wire tied to a hinge, was the missing necklace. Seeing Willow, necklace in hand, Xander started to cry. His left eye now gone, tears only ran down his right cheek. Willow's face crumbled as she took this in.

"Xander, why did you take it?"

"I don't know, Willow. I had to get that necklace out of there."

"Xander, you can talk about the necklace. Let's bring it, and the book inside. Dry your ey...your cheek...tears. We're going to take care of this. Leave the brandy in the boo...trunk."

...

Chapter 3

Los Angeles, California Wolfram and Hart Head Quarters Angel Investigation Suite, Occult Library Saturday, June 7, 2003

Wesley sat in the fantastical Library.

"I'll never take this for granted. I'll never trust it, but I'll never take it for granted."

A grinning Angel, who had been lurking in the doorway, entered. "Talking to yourself, Wes?"

"Quite. Angel, I'm almost as concerned that we took this opportunity as I would be if we hadn't."

"That's how I feel. I think it was."

Wesley's wrinked his nose at that last comment. Angel opened his mouth as if to say more--as if to explain--but then shut it.

Wesley generously broke the awkward pause. "Damned if we do, damned if we don't."

"Something like that. Anyhow, how do you like this set-up?"

"Oh dear, it's... I lack the adjectives, and other modifiers, for that matter. Pick a text, any text."

"Hmmm, let's see The Pergamum Codex."

"Angel, I'm impressed. I've always known you were well read, but The Pergamum Codex disappeared ages ago. I can only hope it's available through this device. Let's check. It is a fascinating text."

"I had it."

"You had Pergamum? Dear Lord, what a risk--that Codex so close to Angelus."

"I got it from a friend, or enemy, ages ago. We saved Buffy's life with it once. Well, that's not true. Actually, it got her killed. Xander revived her. She then slayed the Master, and um..." Angel smiled a far-away smile. "Then, we partied."

"You've quite a connection there, the two of you. How was she when you were in Sunnydale?"

"Well other than fighting the most recent of a long line of apocalypse attempts, she was... Apparently, Buffy--she's half-baked."

Wesley, who had been attempting to swallow a mouthful of single malt Scotch, choked, snorted and ended up expelling it through his nose, right onto the W&H book template.

"Now, now Angel... She's a bright girl, truly. She's more intuitive than academic, but it works for her."

"Those were her words, not mine. She described herself as 'cookie dough'. And if all goes well, someday she'll be cookies and I can..."

Wesley choked again. "Angel, are you trying to make me take the temperance pledge? That's the second mouthful of Scotch I've wasted, and it's 12 year old single malt. If you finish that sentence... I can't. Sorry. I still see a school girl."

"She's 22 now, and has been sleeping with Spike."

"Spike? Spike--Spike? William the Bloody, paramour of Drusilla, protégé of… Oh. Protégé of you. And this is what brought about her latest apocalypse?"

"Heh. Oddly enough, it isn't. Or... I don't know. He's got a soul now, too. Wannabe."

"A soul. The thot plickens."

"Wes, considering Darla and I..." Angel paused, as if to choose his words carefully. "I... She was sweet. She was honest. And man, she was kicking evil ass. She was Buffy. And I...I can't do this right now. I've had enough--enough loss, enough navel gazing--enough."

"Right," said Wesley, intrigued, but patient.

They forgot about Pergamum.

...

---

Enjoined, Chapter 4

Las Vegas, Nevada
The Twilight Time Motel, room 120
Wee hours of the morning, Sunday, June 8, 2003

Kennedy and Dawn, full of sugar and caffeine, had sprawled on one of the two double beds. Dawn had been talking her shiny-haired head off. She approached droning a couple of times, but mostly managed to walk the thin line.

She explained Willow's passions, good and bad, and how her friendship with Buffy and Xander and relationship with Oz coincided with gains in her confidence, and power as well. She explained how she believes that by performing the Curse of Restoration on Angel for the first time, Willow opened a door, a door which, as Giles said at the time, might have been better left closed. She explained the parallel between Willow's break with Oz and another increase in power. She explained how Willow's love for and with Tara seemed to coincide with yet another. She explained Tara's break with Willow and Willow's magicks bender. She explained that Willow flayed Warren, not only after Warren killed Tara, but immediately on the heels of Tara and Willow's wonderful reunion. Dawn explained everything. Meanwhile, Kennedy made a full course meal of her fingernails.

Dawn reached the end of her Dr. Pepper, and her main point of concern--the enjoining spell that Willow, Giles and Xander performed when Buffy had to battle Adam--the part-demon, part-machine, full-stop-monster created by Maggie Walsh and the Initiative.

Jumping up, eyes wide from excitement, surprise or over-caffeination, Kennedy said, "So you think it's Buffy's fault!"

Dawn sat up, hugging her knees against her chest. "Hey. Whoa. What is it with you? I sooooo did not say that. I do think all of them, particularly Giles and Willow rushed into the Enjoining Spell, or well, I guess they had to rush to save Riley. So 'rush' isn't fair. I suppose it seemed pointless to them, but with that dream immediately following that spell, I could never get over the fact that they did no more research."

Kennedy sat back on the bed, keeping one foot on the floor. "Were you... real... then, when they did the spell and had the dream?"

"I... I... I'm not sure. Based on the monk's journal that Spike and I lifted, I don't think so. After Glory was defeated and Buffy died, it seemed pointless to research it further. Are you noticing a pattern? Whatever, I--I guess. I'm real now. And I don't even really understand what the monks did. They might have folded time and had me actually born. They might have rewritten Buffy's history. Um... Where was I? At any rate, I think I must have come after that dream. My kittens are on Dracula being involved, but..."

"Kittens?"

"It's a Spike-ism. He bets--used to--bet them, in poker games."

"Oh. Spike gives me a will... Suddenly on board with the Wiggins-train."

"Huh?"

"Never mind. I just wish I had been there for Dracula. That must have been unreal. I interrupted you. Why'd you say, 'after the dream' they should have done more research?"

"The dream was a total flip-out, well, what I remember hearing was. I--I..."

"Eaves-dropped a lot as a kid?"

"Yeah."

"I'm down with that. You were growing up on a Hellmouth, with a slayer sister, with an itch for vampires. I'd have bought spy-ware."

"That's a story for another night," said Dawn. She recounted what she remembered hearing about the first time the First Slayer visited Buffy and friends in their dream. Together, Kennedy and Dawn drew dotted lines between the portents in that dream and all that had happened over the last year with The First.

Now sitting Indian style, her elbows drooped until they rested on her knees. She rubbed her hands together, then clasped them together, fingers inter-laced, as if in prayer. "Buffy dreamt about the first slayer during all this business with the First Evil, you know."

"Yeah," said Kennedy, "the night Chloe killed herself."

Dawn nodded. Kennedy eased her other leg onto the bed, and mirrored Dawn's pose. "According to the other Potentials, when Giles took them out to that sacred spot in the desert, he said the First Slayer had once appeared to Buffy there as well, as some sort of spirit guide. You're right, Dawn. They should have done more research. I suppose it's hard to find sources on prehistoric events, though."

"Well, since that's what prehistoric means... But, we have that book we used when we used that shadow-puppet storytelling thing. I think we could find some direction there, even it's only directions to clues about direction."

"Dawn, you know that's so going to be your gig, right?"

"Gig? Well, yeah. I've been researching for the gang for a while, now."

"I don't only mean for the gang, Dawn. When the rest of them figure out we're finally forming a new, slayer-centric, slayer-friendly Council of Watchers, you're research girl."

"When we... Oh! Wow! You're so right, Kennedy. That is what we're doing, isn't it. We're the new CoW!"

"Yeah, can you believe Giles and Buffy think they're just opening up an office supply business on the outskirts of Vegas?"

"No sh...kidding. That's the Buffy-dream they decide to pay attention to. If I had a clue-stick, it'd be all worn out by now. They're exasperating."

(chapter 4 cont'd in next post)

---

(Enjoined, Chapter 4, cont'd)

"I thought they'd get there on their own. Willow did realize we had to find all the new slayers. But so far, it's been all talk, no action, and none of the talk seems to center on anything resembling a plan. The office supply business is just a cover for 'locating' all the slayers, and bringing them in to brief them. And you know, I'm crazy about her, but this is another thing that drives me batty with the magic stuff. 'Oh, we'll tell them they're empowered because they're part of an ancient, mystical bloodline, a sorority if you will, blah, blah, blah.' Now, as one of the 'chosen,' I'm delighted I'm not the only 'Chosen One.' But the council...well, the idea of it--getting rid of it is like throwing the baby out with the bath water."

"Why haven't you said anything?"

"Any time I've broached the subject... well let's just say little sisters may be 'cursed by gypsies to walk the earth, unrecognized as - yada, yada' but they weren't cursed to walk it alone."

...

---

Cindy, I'm liking it. There's the odd typo--

Angel's hesitates

is all that I can see at a second glance (extra 's), and I'm a little shaky about it being in the present tense, but the character voices are good.

---

Angel's hesitates

Nice catch. Thank you.

I'm a little shaky about it being in the present tense, but the character voices are good.

I'm very shaky about that, myself. I started writing it with the Dawn-Kennedy scene, and it was not in present tense. Plei and I had a conversation about tenses and I decided to try present for the hell of it. I thought it might make it feel more episode-like. But I've had a lot of trouble being consistent in it. I just fixed a bunch of "asked" into "asks", before I posted. I don't think I like it anymore for this story, but the thought of re-changing it back is really daunting.

Are you anti-present tense in general, or is my shakiness in using it coming through?

---

Like Am-Chau, I wonder about the present tense. I think it's hard to use in a story like this, which is sort of episodic.

I'd also suggest taking a look at your dialogue tags. You have a lot of "interrupts", "asks", "responds", "snarls", "growls", "cracks", "blurts", etc. I'd check out Macedon's "The Craft of Writing". He talks about how "said", or in this case "says", is a transparent word, whereas excessive use of other tags tends to distract the reader. Instead of relying on "growls" and "jokes", you can convey the mood with description. If Willow's joking, is it because she's nervous? Is she twisting her hands in her lap? Is she looking at one of the other people in the room for support?

---

I'd also suggest taking a look at your dialogue tags. You have a lot of "interrupts", "asks", "responds", "snarls", "growls", "cracks", "blurts", etc. I'd check out Macedon's "The Craft of Writing". He talks about how "said", or in this case "says", is a transparent word, whereas excessive use of other tags tends to distract the reader. Instead of relying on "growls" and "jokes", you can convey the mood with description. If Willow's joking, is it because she's nervous? Is she twisting her hands in her lap? Is she looking at one of the other people in the room for support?

Excellent, Dana. Thank you. I am bookmarking that right now. That's another thing I was uncomfortable with. I never thought about "said" being transparent, though. Hmmm, also, maybe the length is why I no longer like the present. That's an interesting thought.

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I never thought about "said" being transparent, though.

That whole essay of Macedon's is great, and that was one of the things that really hit me back when I first read it, because it wasn't something I'd ever thought about either.

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