Taming the Muse Prompt 25, BoaS Part 10, Life and Honour, BtVS, PG

[thismaz]

Title: Life and Honour
Part 10 of the Blood on a Sundial series. Previous parts, in reverse order, are here or in my memories.
Fandom: BtVS
Prompt: #25 - Kleptomaniac
At: tamingthemuse
Disclaimer: here.
Note: Part of the dialogue at the end comes from episode 2.07, Lie to Me
Rating: Pg
Word Count: 2,124




10. Life and Honour

"I have no idea," Buffy said, glumly. She was slouched in her chair, elbows resting on the table, her chin in her cupped hands. Without moving her head, she raised her eyes to look at Willow. "I haven't seen him since last night," she added. "He split, just after we dropped Xander off." Willow's face scrunched in a silent question and Buffy sighed. "I went by his place this morning, but he wasn't there."

Xander looked around the library, thinking there were better places to spend a lunch break. But Giles was at some sort of emergency teachers' meeting and they were waiting for him, to report on the aftermath of the Sunset Club. Considering the fact that they had saved about 15 lives the night before, Buffy was remarkably depressed. He wandered towards the desk, where his bag lay, just in case there was a chocolate bar that he had somehow overlooked, when a thought struck him. He swung around. "Hang on, he wasn't in? How do you know he wasn't in? Did you knock the door down?"

In other circumstances Buffy's guilty expression would have made him smile, but in her current mood, she'd think he was laughing at her. She shrugged "Err." She shoved a hand in her pocket. "He gave me a key," she explained. "He said it was for emergencies. In case I ever needed a place to hide out."

Xander threw up his hands in mock exasperation. "Man! Do you know how many times I've used that line? Give a girl a place to feel safe, lull her into a false sense of security, and..." In retrospect he was grateful that the sound of the door opening as Giles returned, saved him from having to finish that sentence. It didn't seem to be working very well, anyway.

Giles paused in the middle of the room taking in Buffy's woebegone expression, Willow's sympathetic concern and Xander's embarrassment. "Well, it's good to see that everything's normal here," he said, with a faint smile. He went over and took the seat opposite Buffy. "You obviously got them all out?"

"Yes. Got them out. Got them to ER. Left Spike and his gang locked in the club. Walked Xander home. Did an extra patrol. Found nothing."

Giles smiled. "Alright. Tell me what happened this morning. What did you find?" He cocked an eyebrow, questioningly. "I presume you went back to the scene? Is Spike dust?"

Buffy shrugged indifferently. Giles turned to Willow. "Angel's disappeared," she explained. "Buffy was just telling us."

Giles face and voice both softened. "But he's done that before, Buffy. It's surely not something to get worried about. He'll come back." He got up and disappeared into his office. There was the sound of mugs and teaspoons and a kettle being switched on. A few minutes later he returned with a tray which he placed on the table. "Come on, all of you. Sit down and have some tea." Xander dragged a chair up to the table and reached for a mug.

Once they were all settled and even Buffy had slouched back in her chair, tea held tightly in both hands, he started again. "Why don't you begin at the beginning and tell me what happened last night," he suggested.

With Buffy uncommunicative and Willow not yet having heard the whole thing, Xander took the story telling upon himself. He explained how they got to the club and discovered too late that they were locked in. How Buffy confronted Ford and they learnt the reasoning behind his crazy plan, and how the other members of the club just wouldn't listen to anything they said. He described Spike's arrival, flanked by a whole nest of minions, like some avenging angel. That description earned him a raised eyebrow and a faint smirk from Giles. Xander felt himself blushing and took a breath to regain his composure. "All I can say, Giles, is it's just as well we had your backup plan because there were so many of them, they overwhelmed us easily. Spike knocked me over and I think I was out for a moment. They knocked Buffy out, too. By the time I got to her she was coming round though. That's when I phoned you. And she got Spike to talk to you. And what ever you said, it worked. He made them all stop, and let the crazy people go. We all got out as fast as we could. And the rest is history, as they say."

Finally Buffy looked up. "We didn't all get out." She said. "We forgot Ford."

"Oh, Buffy," said Giles, sympathetically. "I'm so sorry. Did you find him this morning?"

Buffy shuddered. "Yes I found him. I wish I hadn't." Her face screwed up with distress. "They had fun, Giles. They had fun. And what was left... It was not pretty. I've seen things. But that..." She trailed off, staring blankly down at her tea. Then she looked up. "But Spike kept his promise. We'll have to keep an eye on Ford's body, because he'll not be resting long." She placed her mug carefully down on the table in front of her. "Why would he be so vicious?" she asked. "Just because yet another of his plans didn't work? You'd think he'd be used to that by now."

Giles took off his glasses and polished them thoughtfully. "It could be," he said cautiously. "He had been promised both you and Angel." Xander thought Giles looked uncomfortable, but the others didn't seem to notice anything odd. Giles hooked his glasses back over his ears and settled them on his nose. "What else did you find? Do I infer that Spike was no longer there?"

"No. He wasn't. There were a dozen piles of dust, but no sign of any actual vampires."

Willow perked up. "Do you think maybe Angel went back and dusted them all?" she suggested. "I mean, if the door was still intact, they couldn't have got out."

Buffy shrugged again. "I called the police from the call box by the cinema. And hung around until they arrived. They took the body away. Do you think I should call on his parents. Except... they're probably not in Sunnydale. Willow could you..."

"Sure Buffy. I'll get right on it." She moved over to the computer and switched it on.

Buffy slouched back again, despondent. "How could we just leave him there?" She asked of no one.

Xander remembered the expression on Spike's face, as he took the phone from Xander's hand. He'd already guessed the source of their bargaining power. The desperation in his voice, as he tried to reassure his girlfriend, had totally undermined any hope of playing the tough guy and bluffing his way out. Xander had been mesmerised, fascinated, to see such human reactions in a soulless demon. He had totally forgotten about Ford. "We concentrated on the people down on the floor of the club," he said. "Ford was off to the side. It was dark over there. I guess..." He couldn't think of any excuse that didn't sound totally lame.

****

Xander hugged his coat tightly around himself, even though the night was not cold. Buffy lay a bouquet of roses on Ford's grave. "I don't know what I'm supposed to say," she observed as she stepped back.

Giles put an arm around her shoulders. "You needn't say anything."

Glancing up, she relaxed into his embrace for a moment, before stepping away. She crossed to Xander and leant against his shoulder, thoughtfully "It'd be simpler if I could just hate him. I think he wanted me to. I think it made it easier for him to be the villain of the piece. Really he was just scared."

Xander grunted. "I guess."

She gave him a nudge with her elbow. "Nothing's ever simple anymore, is it? I'm constantly trying to work it out. Who to love or hate. Who to trust. It's just, like, the more I know, the more confused I get."

Giles smiled faintly, encompassing them both. "I believe that's called growing up."

Buffy pouted. "I'd like to stop then, okay?" She turned serious again. "Does it ever get easy?"

The grave at their feet began to move and a hand reached up out of the ground. Suddenly Ford was there, lunging towards them. Buffy stepped into his attack and plunged her stake into his heart with no more effort than if she was crushing a bug underfoot. The dust gradually settled on the newly disturbed earth.

Giles answered her question as if the incident had never happened. "You mean life?"

"Yeah." Buffy nodded. "Does it get easy?"

"What do you want me to say?" Giles asked.

Buffy looked across at Xander, probably seeing her own expression mirrored in his. She looked up at Giles. "Lie to us."

As they turned away, towards the gates, Giles began, "Yes, it's terribly simple. The good guys are always stalwart and true, the bad guys are easily distinguished by their pointy horns or black hats, and, uh, we always defeat them and save the day. No one ever dies, and everybody lives happily ever after."

Xander stayed where he was for a moment gazing down at the now empty grave. He heard Buffy reply, "Liar." Already her voice held a lighter note. Xander thought about Ford's desperation in the face of death, his determination to win, to somehow stay alive, no matter what the cost. He thought about Spike's desperation when faced with a threat to his girlfriend, so he gave away a sure victory over his two arch enemies. Yet, in his own twisted way, he'd kept his word to Ford. Something in Xander acknowledged that and even approved. He wondered if all that undead life had really been snuffed out by Angel and left as a pile of dust on the floor. He thought about Jesse. Then he shook himself, shoved his hands in his pockets and hurried to catch up with the others.

They were nearing the gates of the cemetery when Angel detached himself from the shadows and moved to intercept them. His posture was more hunched and miserable than usual. He didn't say anything, just stood there, eyes locked on Giles. Giles actually looked uncomfortable. If it had been anybody else, Xander would have said he fidgeted.

Buffy hurried forward and laid a hand on Angel's arm. "Where've you been? I've been so worried. Are you okay?"

Angel tore his eyes away from Giles and looked down at her. His mouth curved in a slight smile and he nodded. Then he shook his head. "Not really," he said. He turned back to Giles. "You killed her. You dusted Dru, didn't you?"

Xander watched as Giles' back stiffened and he reared his head defensively. Buffy turned to look at her Watcher in amazement. "But we gave our word," she protested. "I gave my word. You wouldn't...?"

"I didn't give my word," Giles' voice was harsh. "And even if I had. She was a vampire. Eventually she would have recovered her strength. And then all her future kills would have been on my hands. I couldn't allow that."

Xander was amazed to realise that the foremost emotion in his heart was a sense of betrayal. He'd always believed, in some formless, unquestioning way, that he and Giles shared a common understanding of what was right, a sense of values. Abruptly he was adrift in a world, where honour apparently had no place. Betrayal swiftly turned to anger. "We gave our word, Giles. We!"

Giles interrupted. "For God's sake Xander! Grow up! She was a vampire. A compulsive thief of blood, a thief of life..."

But for once Xander didn't feel like deferring. It wasn't like Giles was his watcher. "No, Giles. It does matter. I don't care if all vampires are undead kleptomaniacs. I don't care if you did the sensible thing. It was wrong!" He realised he was shivering. He swung round on Angel. "Is Spike dead?" Angel shook his head. "Did you let him out?"

Angel shrugged, then nodded. "Yes I did."

Xander turned back to Giles and caught the expression of shock in his face. "But why?" Giles asked. "Why would you do that?"

Angel's face was unreadable. "Dru was my childe," he said, before he spun on his heel and walked away, through the gate and out of sight.

Buffy stood for a second looking from Xander's angry face to Giles shocked one, then she took off after Angel, at a run. Xander watched her go. He turned back to Giles and shook his head regretfully. "I'll see you tomorrow, Giles." He turned away to make his way home in the dark, alone.

Next Part

Comments

[sparrow2000.livejournal.com]

Don't know why you were worried love, this works just fine.

I like this Buffy who's just beginning to realise that the world is full of grey, and Xander's reaction to Angel's comments about Giles killing Dru seemed completely natural. He needs to believe that the adults have a moral code, that's what gives him his own rudder - and to find Giles' morality is tempered by pragmatism and expedience is enough to shake the gang down to its toes.

Really looking forward to the fall out from this.

[thismaz.livejournal.com]

Oh, that's good. Thank you.
It just didn't come easily this week, so I was worried. If it weren't for the deadline, I think I'd have waited a few more days and many more drafts. *g*
I'm glad it worked okay. Cheers.

[qamratala.livejournal.com]

Giles killing Dru is so Giles. And the idealism in the teens stands out as they're beginning to learn that the world isn't black and white. I like how you used the Lie to Me lines. And you're so right about vampires being kleptos.

[thismaz.livejournal.com]

*grin* Thank you.
I suspect Xander's problem is that even when the world is not black and white, you should still hold true to your principles and he thought Giles shared his. I think his shock is in realising that a vampire did that, while his mentor did not.
I have to admit, the idea of vampires as thieves of life, as well as thieves of blood, was gifted to me by a friend. And I really like the addition/distinction.

[jans-intentions.livejournal.com]

Wow, this was a really good conflict. I can so see Giles doing this, but it really puts everything else at odds. And what will Spike do in retaliation?

[thismaz.livejournal.com]

Ah, well, what Spike will do.... I really don't know. But I suspect he's not going to be best pleased at being dumped in LA. Not to mention, he's sure to be a bit miffed at Giles. *g*
I guess we'll all find out soon, prompt allowing.
Thanks for the nice comment.

[lilithbint.livejournal.com]

Giles will always do what has to be done no matter the right or wrong,
great chapter and excellent comparison of vampires to kleptomaniacs

[thismaz.livejournal.com]

That's the thing about Giles, he doesn't flinch from the hard tasks, you're right.
Thank you for stopping by and commenting.
As for the kleptomaniac comment - as soon as I saw the prompt, I could hear Xander saying something like that - half way between a joke and an insight. But that's our Xander, his wisdom sneaks up on you, disguised as a joke. *g*

[smwright.livejournal.com]

You always do so well with Xander's uncanny insight, but this piece really took me by surprise. I wasn't ready for the... realizations they faced, especially Xander.

That Giles' moral code would be flexible while his (and Angel's) remains uncompromising must have come as something of a shock. Buffy, of course, has dealt with this dilemma repeatedly and only demands more from those she must depend on. Xander... he's still learning, poor boy.

"Just because yet another of his plans didn't work? You'd think he'd be used to that by now."
I just loved this line. So true. :)

Nice week! I do love your Xander...

[thismaz.livejournal.com]

Why thank you, so much. I'm so glad you like 'my' Xander. I'm fond of him too. *g*
I guess Angel is uncompromising, because of where he's come from. Xander is still very young, in many ways.
I kind of feel sorry for Giles - deserted by Buffy, to follow Angel and by Xander, to nurse his hurt. I wonder if Xander sees himself and Angel as the unusual ones, or sees Giles as the aberration from the norm.
I am kind of interested to see where they all go from here.

[alterian.livejournal.com]

Just read the whole series and I must say that it's really good, intresting twist of the original episodes and you work in the prompts really good. I like the slow building of the plot, still a mystery where you arte heading with this tale.
I'm looking forward to reading more, keep up the good work.
~Alterian

[thismaz.livejournal.com]

Heee! Thank you for stopping to say so. Lovely surprise on a dark Monday morning.
still a mystery where you are heading with this tale
*g* still a mystery to me, most of the time. I have a vague outline, but no promise from the boys and girls that they'll stick to it. I mean, look at what Giles did. I had a plan for Dru going weeks more. *sigh* You just can't get the help, these days.

[texanfan.livejournal.com]

Giles ruthless practicality against Buffy and Xander's sense of honor and fair play. They haven't had to make many of the hard decisions yet and it shows. this had a very real feel to it. It's amazing how much menace I felt pouring off Angel toward Giles withuot it ever being overtly stated. Mostly, it was in Giles reactions. Very clever.

Have to wonder if Spike overheard that little exchange.

[thismaz.livejournal.com]

*Big smile* Thank you.
Yes, season 2, they were still innocent in so many ways. I think the gulf between Giles as the adult and the Scoobies as kids was still very wide.

Have to wonder if Spike overheard that little exchange.
Well, I think Spike is probably still drunk in LA at this point. I'll be interested to see what happens if Spike and Angel run into each other again, though. I wonder if their relationship will have progressed.

[realpestilence.livejournal.com]

This makes me think of when Giles killed Ben-it was the expedient thing to do, and it happened to be the right thing, at that time, I believe. I remember that Xander came up with the idea-so he could see the need, even if it made him sick to think about it...but it was Giles that did it and was pretty much unmoved by regret.

Xander' right. They gave their word and it's important-how can they expect to keep making deals with enemies, for one thing, if it's known they won't keep their end up if they don't feel like it?

I do think it's a bit hypocritical to lecture about Drusilla being a vampire and so she should die, etc, to *Angel*...the one vampire most of them never saw as a vampire. Except Xander-he never lost sight of the fact that Angel was dangerous, underneath the soul boy moping. I like that he stuck up for him, though-it rings true to his character.


I realize now that this *is* the same series that I was reading before, it's just named now. It's very good.
Pesti

[thismaz.livejournal.com]

Hi Pesti
Giles killing Ben was in my head and made me realise that he would have to kill Dru, which I was not happy about, because I had plans for her much later in the piece. *g* But this is three years earlier and Xander is three years younger, less tainted(?) weathered(?) by experience - less grown up. He still has the idealism and the rigidity of youth.
I think I disagree with you about Giles not being moved by regret, though. As I remember as he looks down at Ben, there is a tightening and then a relaxing of the muscles around his mouth.

Thank you for the reminder that the story is now named and wasn't, before. I have renamed the tag, so it is clearer.

I am glad you like the story. Thank you so much for your comments.

[realpestilence.livejournal.com]

Possibly, he was more upset than he let on. It's been a while since I've seen the episode. I remember that I was...yes, do it, somebody! I don't care if he has a freakin' soul...he's gotta go!"

[thismaz.livejournal.com]

Hey, you might be right. It's a while since I saw it too. Maybe I just wanted him to care - whilst cheering him on, of course *g*

[i-luv-trees.livejournal.com]

Oh, so Angel hadn't told them about Spike and Dru being family. Wonder if it would have made any difference to Giles?

Xander and Buffy's outrage at Giles not keeping his word, technically correct that *he* didn't give his word, but still, was sad. Sad for them, to realize that sometimes the people you trust to do the right thing can have a very different defininition of what's right.

Really good chapter, thanks for the lovely words, C

[thismaz.livejournal.com]

Angel was never very forthcoming about his past, in canon. Not even when it could have been helpful. I kind of doubt it would have made a difference to Giles though.
As I said earlier - I do like the early, still idealistic Scoobies.
Thanks for reading and commenting. I have to go to work now, but I'll be back.

[brunettepet.livejournal.com]

Though we knew what Giles had done, Xander and Buffy's shock and sense of betrayal shone a light on his actions. Giles is the grown up. His word is supposed to be trustworthy. It's like the earth just shifted off its axis.

Spike kept his word and Giles didn't. That's a real mind fuck.

[thismaz.livejournal.com]

Giles is an adult, and he has compromised his principles for the greater good, so many times that he's forgotten what it's like to be young and idealistic. It's one of the things I love about the early series - the scoobies before they had seen so much that they could consider the expedient option too.
Thank you. Yes, it is one of the things I like about Spike too - he is amoral, but he has his own honour.
I am so glad you are still enjoying this.