There’s a fine line between hoping for closure and looking for vengeance.
Chapter 6: Unsettled Scores
“It’s fascinating,” Giles said, walking into Robin’s classroom.
“I always thought so.” The history teacher looked up from his lesson plan. “You didn’t just leave it sitting around in the library, did you?”
Giles shook his head as he approached the desk. “Locked in my office for the moment. I’ll be back there shortly. I’m curious as to why you’re so protective of it, and why it was never published by the Council.”
Robin put down his pen and leaned back in his chair. “Look at it from our perspective, Giles. That manuscript is packed full of details about Spike. And by the time Crowley finished it, Chairman Harrington’s health was failing.”
“He waited to see who would take over the Council.”
“Exactly. When Travers got the seat, and installed a lot of like-minded people at the top, handing over that information suddenly seemed like a really bad idea. I had to talk them both out of burning it.”
“I understand Spike’s point of view on the matter. Providing an unfriendly Council with the history of his exploits is unlikely to be appealing.” Giles frowned. “But Crowley’s loyalty to the Council, and the achievement of writing such a book…”
“Never outweighed his loyalty to us, even when Harrington was in charge. He would never have let his book be published without Spike’s consent.” Robin locked his eyes on the watcher’s. “And neither will I. That discussion is closed until Travers dies or retires.”
“But the detailed history of Drusilla in the early chapters… Having it sooner might have been of some help.”
“You have it now.” Robin sighed at the ringing of the bell. “Teenagers incoming. If you’re waiting for an apology, Giles, don’t hold your breath.”
“Better days,” Giles said quietly as he watched the first students enter the classroom. “Harrington’s regime, I mean.”
“A lot of good watchers came out of those years,” Robin said at the same volume.
“Bernard Crowley chief among them.”
“From the early years, yes. And Rupert Giles from the later ones. I didn’t move across the country just because Sam Zabuto asked me, you know. I came because I respect you and the job you’re doing. And I want to help. So does Spike.”
“I, um, don’t mean to appear ungrateful.” Giles shifted his weight uncomfortably.
“Then don’t.” Robin nodded to the rows of desks that were slowly filling up. “I’ve got to try to shove some history into some young minds. We’ll talk later?”
Giles nodded and withdrew, turning right at the door to take the long way back to the library. He was still uncomfortable passing by the classroom that had been Jenny’s, and took care to avoid it when possible.
*~*~*
The first thing Buffy saw when she woke up was Spike, lounging in a chair beside her hospital bed, watching her. “Ugh. What are you still doing here?”
“I hope it was worth it.”
She struggled to sit up, and glared at him as he stood to help, adjusting the bed pillow behind her. “I can do it.”
He settled the pillow into place, ignoring her opposition to the help. “So, was it?”
“Making myself sicker to take out Der Kindestod? Hell, yeah, it was.”
“At the expense of buying Angelus more time for whatever he’s up to?”
She frowned at that, and tried not to think of how many people Angelus might have killed during her second fever. “Don’t you have a blood bank to rob? I think it’s downstairs.”
Spike returned to his chair. “That’s been the upside to these last few nights. The buffet’s a five minute walk away.”
“Is that the real reason you’ve been staying here? Convenience food?”
“Just watching your back, Slayer.” He shrugged. “Keeps me off book duty with your watcher, besides.”
Buffy perked up at that. “Books? We have something?”
“One book. And no. Just some ancient history on Dru. Giles is reading it to get to know her better. We’re hoping he can help us figure out what she’ll do next. Odds are against him having some grand insight, but it’s worth a shot.”
Buffy bit her lip. “He’s probably happy to have the distraction. It’s been hard on him, losing someone like that. …And not being able to do anything about it.”
“I know.” Spike rose to his feet. “I’d best tell your mates you’re up and about, so they can call your mum. Word is, she’s eager to get you home.”
“I bet you’ll like that. It’ll get you out of guard duty.”
“Won’t help much if you don’t tell her what it is might knock on her door some night.”
She glared at him. “My mom, my call. I’ll tell her when I’m ready.”
“If you don’t wanna end up an orphan, flat-sharing with your watcher, make it soon, Slayer.”
“You’re the sensitive type, aren’t you?”
He shrugged as he moved toward the door. “Just telling you how it is.”
“Jerk,” she mumbled as he closed the door behind him.
*~*~*
April, 1998
Robin opened his front door to find Giles standing on the porch, holding Crowley’s manuscript in one hand and a bottle in the other.
“Good evening. I was hoping to spend some time with your house guest.”
Robin waved him in and closed the door. “He’s out of town.”
Giles frowned as he was led to the living room. “He left?”
“He’ll be back.” Robin dropped into an armchair and waved to the manuscript. “I take it you’re finally finished with that?”
“Yes, I believe I’ve gleaned all I can from it. But through multiple readings, I still find myself with questions.” He placed his burdens on the coffee table and took a seat on the couch while giving Robin a look that was clearly a silent plea for another secret manuscript to appear.
“He’s a vampire, Giles. He’s never going to tell us all his secrets.”
“Oh. Of course.” Giles tried to mask his disappointment. “Um, I was mostly referring to the chapters that focus on his years with Drusilla. There’s still so much I feel I don’t know about her.” He gestured to the bottle. “You said he talks more with some …encouragement.”
Robin chuckled. “Yeah, generally. Do you want me to save that until he gets back?”
“From where, exactly?”
“L.A. San Diego. Tijuana. Probably a few smaller cities along the southern coast. It’s been a couple of years since he was out this way. He wanted to take the opportunity to freshen up his connections.”
Giles’ gaze drifted to the manuscript. “He’s still looking for him.”
“When he can. There’s a fine line between hoping for closure and looking for vengeance. Spike’s been walking it for most of my life.”
“Does he really think this is the best time?”
“Buffy’s back on her feet. Angelus and Drusilla seem to be laying low.” Robin gave the watcher a significant look. “Overall, it’s better timing than you had when you burned down that factory.”
Giles opened the bottle. “Fair point.”
Robin left the room for a moment, returning with two glasses. “Mom would have beat the hell out of him for keeping up the search this long. He knows that, but he won’t let it go.”
“We’re all haunted by something,” Giles said quietly.
“Including George the Janitor.” Robin poured them each a shot. “What do you think this poltergeist wants, anyway?”
“I think she wants closure. Maybe even vengeance.”
“She?”
“The children disagree with me, but Robin, I think it’s Jenny.”
*~*~*
Buffy just barely stopped herself from falling into the card catalog. She bounced forward again, taking another shot at her opponent. “Long story short, possession sucks. All it did was tear open some still-too-fresh wounds.”
Spike easily dodged her attack. “You’re not focusing, Slayer.”
“I was trying to tell a story!”
“Yeah, well, I’m glad I missed the melodrama.” He punched at her face, and she barely avoided it, his fist making contact only with her flying hair. “Better.”
“Where were you, anyway?”
“Had some business to take care of.”
“Did that business include dropping bodies while you were outside a slayer town?”
Spike grinned, happy for the opportunity to anger her. “Probably.”
She attacked with renewed fervor, and the conversation paused for a few minutes while they traded blows.
“Robin said your watcher got it in his head it was his girl haunting the school. How’s he handling the let down?” Spike asked when Buffy took a step back from him, pausing the match to catch her breath.
“I’m not sure. He hasn’t said much. Willow said he seemed sad, but kind of relieved, when he finally came back to reality. Honestly? He doesn’t talk much about her at all.”
“Give him time. He’ll talk when he’s ready.”
She studied him for a moment, furrowing her brow. “You get him, don’t you? Like, where he is right now?”
Spike shrugged, declining to answer. He balled his fists as he moved forward, advancing slowly enough to give her time to recognize that the match was back on.
A few minutes later, just as Buffy was kicking Spike into the door of the book cage, Robin walked into the library. He paused at the check out counter to watch as Spike easily turned the tables with a single, well-timed sweep of his leg, knocking Buffy to the floor with a thud.
“Ow.”
“Yeah,” Robin said with a chuckle as Spike reached for Buffy’s hand to pull her to her feet. “That looked like it hurt.”
“Uh-huh.” She rubbed her back while glaring at Spike. “I thought you were here to help me, not kick my ass.”
“I can’t do both?”
“I hate you.”
Spike raised an eyebrow. “If you got as pissed off at Angelus as you do at me, I think we’d all be better off.”
Buffy looked to Robin for support, but received only a shrug in response. “He’s not wrong.”
myrabeth 
I love the way you wove things around canon events. And really glad Spike is there to knock some sense into Buffy. Angel isn’t a victim. He’s the bad guy. Even before he lost his soul, he was a bad guy trying to do good to get into an underaged girl’s pants.
Excellent writing, as always.
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