TITLE: Cruel & Unusual Punishment
AUTHOR: Ragna (writinggoddess@aol.com)
RATING: FRT
SPOILERS: None, unless I miraculously get hired to write for the show.
DISTRIBUTION: Sure, just tell me!
DISCLAIMER: Everything except what comes out of my pretty little head belongs to Joss and Mutant Enemy.
FEEDBACK: Wanted. Needed. SEND IT!

***

In Sunnydale, Buffy Summers arrived to...nothing. No friends, no Mom, no Watcher. At least, until she went to the Library. Her Mom, she knew, was in France getting art for the gallery. Giles, Willow, Oz and Patricia were almost buried in piles of books.

"Hi, guys. Where's the other four parts of the group?" she asked as she walked in.

"Alex and Spike are in London dealing with the Council. Gaby is on assignment in Galway, and she took Xander along," Giles said without looking up from his book. "Welcome back. How was Los Angeles?"

"Quiet." She walked over and gave Willow a hug. "What are you guys researching?"

"Galway." Willow said, showing her the book.

"Interesting. A Hellmouth. Why's Gaby there, anyway?"

"According to Alex, the council wanted a Slayer there that wouldn't be missed. I wonder if their opinion changed when Spike came in or when Alex punched the head of the Council out?" Giles replied.

"Probably when she froze the two guys who tried to attack Spike," Oz said. Buffy looked at them as though they were speaking in gibberish. "The transcripts from the meeting arrived in the overnight mail. The fun begins on page 4." He handed a set of bound papers to Buffy.

She walked over to a chair and started reading, skimming over what happened. "Should we be afraid of her?" she asked.

"Well, she seems to have inherited the Ripper aspect of my personality. Just don't make her too mad," Giles said, bookmarking a passage.

"I found some more on that alley Gaby was asking about," Patricia said, coming out of Giles' office. "I just spoke to Angel about it, and he told me what it was called. Pulling it up on the Internet, I saw--Oh. Hello, Buffy. Welcome back."

"Hi."

Patricia continued. "It turns out that the center of that Hellmouth is located directly underneath. I also found out that a sect of Druids protects that particular Hellmouth."

"Are they dangerous?" Buffy asked.

She shook her head. "Not that anyone knows of."

"Well, I think we should tell those two that rather quickly," Giles said.

***

"Huh?" Gaby asked, totally confused. Her laptop replied, "You've got mail," as a new message came in.

Xander opened it and skimmed. "What is the name of your sect?" he asked, without looking up at the screen.

"The Brotherhood," the robed man said simply, showing them his hand, which had a rune tattooed on it.

"That's it," he said, looking up from the computer. "And that's their identifying mark. But who are you?"

The Druid visibly relaxed a bit. "I am known as Tom O'Donnell." He pulled of his hood, and looked rather young.

"How old are you?" Gaby asked.

"I'm only 19. But that was why I was sent to talk to you." He motioned towards a vacant chair. "May I sit down?" Gaby nodded, and he removed his robe, placing it on a table and sitting down. His eyes lit up when he saw the laptop. "Wow. That is top quality. How much did you pay for it?"

"Nothing. My sister gave it to me," Gaby replied.

"You know about computers?" Xander asked.

Tom smiled. "Yes, I love them, especially using the Internet. It's fun to talk to people hundreds of thousands of miles away. Your sister must have paid a lot for this," he said, looking at Gaby.

Gaby shrugged. "She owns the company that makes software for it. She probably got it for free."

"Well, Slayer, consider yourself lucky."

"My name is Gabriella, and this is my boyfriend Xander."

"Glad to know that. I take it Xander is a nickname?" He nodded. "And you are called...?" he asked, looking to Gaby.

"Gaby."

"Very well. I really dislike formality anyway." He stood up and walked over to the computer. "Ahhh, that alley. I take it you've been having prescient dreams about it?"

"Yeah. My uncle sent me as much information as he could about it."

"It's all there, including some things I didn't know. Except for how to view the Hellmouth."

"And that is...?" Xander asked.

"There is an underground tunnel that goes up to it but is protected by magic. You can go to a certain point and no further."

"Interesting."

"Can you meet with us outside the city limits at midnight? We'll be out on the road a quarter mile outside town limits in a small building with a half moon on the sign."

"I thought you guys used the metric system," Gaby said.

"We do, but you don't. Can you?"

"Yeah, I guess. Do we need to bring anything?"

"The laptop. Oh, and do you, by any chance, have a Book of Shadows?"

"Yeah. Why?"

"Bring it too." Then he walked out.

"Weird," Xander muttered, reading what was on the screen.

"Him or what you're reading?" Gaby asked.

"Both. It turns out that this group of Druids is a group of helpers, people who fix wrongs all over the world. Like if a Slayer is unavailable, one of them will take over. But to get into the brotherhood, you have to die first."

"So they're...immortal?"

"Some. The leaders are, at least. But the younger members, like Tom, are mortal until they complete a rite of passage."

"Funny. Isn't that what I'm supposed to be doing here?"

Xander looked up from the computer. "What time is it?"

"About eight or so."

"Four more hours. Lovely."

"Well, there's always television to watch or even books to read," she said teasingly.

"I was thinking more of a nice walk."

"You? He who thinks of sex by looking at linoleum?"

Xander nodded. "Didn't say we had to spend the whole four hours walking..."

She walked up to him and grabbed his hand. "Let's go."

***

Meanwhile, across Ireland and over the Irish Sea, as well as part of England, another couple was having a totally different type of conversation.

Alex and Spike were having a fight. And a pretty loud one, considering the neighbors to Alex's flat were banging on walls and floors to get them to shut up.

"Can't go to a pub. Remember?" Alex said, holding up her keys. She showed him her AA keychains. "I've been sober for over two years, and I'm not about to ruin that."

"Forgot. I can, though," Spike replied.

"Then go!" she said, exasperated.

"But then you'll make me seem like it's my bloody fault you can't go!" he screamed.

"If you want to go, I'll stay here. Or I'll go to a play or something. Look, there are things you can do that I can't and vice versa. We've dealt with that stuff before. What makes this so different?" she said just as loudly.

"This is something I had nothing to do with. Why are you acting so hysterical!?!"

"Yeah, it's my fault I'm a recovering alcoholic, but that doesn't mean I'm acting hysterical. Why are you pulling a power trip, Spike? Is it because I'm human and you're not? Or is it because of some other reason that we haven't talked about?"

"I'm not pulling a bloody power trip." He moved over towards the corner of her flat and sulked a bit.

"I don't understand it. Everything is fine until I point out something you've known since we started sleeping together. Since before we were a couple, even. So why the big deal all of a sudden?" She sat down on her bed and put her head in her lap. "Why is it such a big deal to you that we go to a pub?"

"Because I want to."

"That excuse worked when I was young and really stupid, but I'm neither now. What's the problem?!?"

He looked at her, his game face on. "Because you lied! You never told me why you started, or how you stopped. Or that you saw him today. While I was in here."

"Who, Jacob?"

"Yes, him. Did you make love to him? Did you laugh at me behind my bloody back? Did you--"

"HE'S DEAD!!!" Alex screamed.

Spike's head shot up. "I...I thought..."

"That he was alive? No, he's dead, it's my fault. That's why I started to drink again."

"Why didn't you say anything? I thought you were truthful. God, what do you take me for, a bloody idiot?"

"No, I don't. But if that's all, I can tell you what happened." She walked over to where he was sitting and pulled a chair in front of him. "Is that what you want?"

Spike nodded. There was so much about her that he didn't know. "Go on."

Alex took a deep breath. "When my parents died, I got really depressed. I stayed in my own home since I was in college, but I would need at least a shot of vodka to wake up. And I'd need a beer or two to make it through the day, and a shot of tequila to get to sleep. One night, I decided life wasn't worth living, so I drank all the alcohol in my house and passed out."

He did nothing, so she continued. "Luckily for me, my friend Nicole was coming over to help me study, and she found me. I was okay, but my blood alcohol level was really high and I was starting to suffer from alcohol poisoning. They pumped my stomach and checked me into rehab. I took myself out a few days later and went to a psychiatric hospital."

She stood up and started to pace. "I stayed for about two months, and I got into AA. The first few months were the hardest. All I could think about was drowning my sorrows in alcohol. I thought it would help. But later, when I was done withdrawing, my outlook changed. And then I met Jacob, and we fell in love."

She stopped pacing and moved over to the window, letting the moonlight fall over her as she watched the busy London street below her. "He asked me to marry him when I was 18, and we were going to get married. I had been sober for 7 months. When I was 19, about 4 months after we'd moved in together, I started sneaking out of this flat to go to Council meetings. One night, he followed me. And he got attacked by a vampire."

Spike walked up behind her, but stayed silent. He was just there in case she needed him. "I fought the vampire, and I was doing fine until he kicked my knees. I went down to the ground, and he fed off Jacob. Then, when Jacob was about to die, he turned him. I buried Jacob a few days later, and then, that night, waited for him to come back. It was one thing to bury your fiance; it was another to have to stake him in the heart."

Her body was wracking now as the sobs tore through her. "So, that night, I went to the local pub and I proceeded to drink anything put in front of me. And I drank, and drank... One of my friends came in and saw me. She and her boyfriend brought me home and I went back into rehab the next day. I've been sober ever since." The tears were flowing down her face.

Spike reached over but she just stood there. To get the story out was hard, but once it was out, she felt better. "And now you know. Enjoy yourself. I'm going to visit him, again." She grabbed her jacket and walked out. Spike followed.

"Wait!" She didn't turn around or even slow down. He followed her as she walked down quite a few streets and ended up at a graveyard. She knew exactly where she was going, and she stopped at a headstone with an angel on top.

"Hi, Jacob," she said quietly, not realizing Spike was there. "It's been a long time since I've been here at all, and now, twice in one day. Funny, huh? I would have brought more flowers, but I was too upset. Spike and I fought. I lied to him about you, and it hurts."

She sighed, and the tears started to reappear. "I feel like a part of me was severed. But I guess I deserve it. I'm not going to drink, though. Not again. I love you, but I need to move on. With or without someone else." With that, she undid her necklace and removed her engagement ring. Digging up some ground, she buried it.

"You need to put it down further," Spike said quietly. He walked over to her, careful not to step on Jacob's grave. "The rains...they'll bring it back to the surface unless it's deeper." She nodded and proceeded to dig it up and re-bury it. Afterwards, she stood up and walked away. Spike followed, and turned her around to face him when he caught up to her.

"I have every right to be mad, and you know that," he said softly. "But I'm not. I'm hurt, but I'm not mad. Why did you keep it a secret?"

"I didn't think you'd understand." They stood about an arm's length apart, and Alex was looking at the ground. He tilted her head up so that she was looking at him.

"Even after everything that had happened to Dru?"

"You didn't cause Dru to get killed."

"Yes, I did. That demon was after me."

"Umm...let me just point out that you just admitted you lied to me."

"I know, but there's a difference. Your lie was so all encompassing, it affected every aspect of your life, love, because you lied to yourself. You didn't cause him to die. If he'd stayed at the flat and waited to confront you when he got back, then he'd still be alive, probably."

"Yeah, I guess."

"But do you see? That event started a chain reaction of sorts. If Jacob was still alive, you never would have started to date Jeremy, and I wouldn't have had to step in and save your life, and then..."

"There'd be no us," she whispered. Fresh tears appeared in her eyes. Finally, she walked up and closed the gap between her and Spike. "I'm just...so...sorry."

"Shh, love. I understand. Trust me, I understand." He held her lightly, almost as if she was a fragile porcelain doll. "Look, no matter what, I love you. And I know you love me as well. But, you have to admit, we needed that fight."

She pulled back a bit and looked at him, laughing a little. "Yeah. Do you...trust me?"

He nodded. "Always."

She cleared her throat. "Well, I realized that I don't want to be buried in the ground and leave you to feel the way I did, and still do. If...if it ever becomes apparent I'm going to die, turn me. Just make sure someone can do the permanent soul spell as well."

He looked a bit shocked, but nodded again. "I will. Are you sure that's what you really want?"

She embraced him again. "Yeah. I'm sure. I've lost too many loved ones...I don't want to lose you."

"You won't. I swear."

***

At midnight, Xander and Gaby were patiently waiting by the door of the building Tom had told them about.

"I hope to God this isn't a trap," Gaby whispered quietly.

"Shouldn't be." Xander replied just as quietly.

She hesitantly knocked on the door. It opened, and she was looking up at a very tall man in a black robe. "Are you the Slayer?"

"Yeah," she replied.

"Only you may come in," the man said, glaring at Xander.

Gaby shook her head. "If he can't I don't."

The tall man sighed and looked behind him. He sighed. "Very well. Both of you may enter." The two Americans walked in and were face to face with a familiar face.

"Donald?" Gaby asked, recognizing the man assigned to help her. "You're one of them?"

He nodded. "Yes. I'm sorry I couldn't tell you before, but the Council doesn't know I'm one of them."

Xander set down the book and the laptop which he'd been carrying. "And we shouldn't tell them, is that it?"

He nodded. "Your friends will probably find out, but I doubt they'll do anything." He stood up and walked over to Gaby. we need you to do a bit of traveling. Through time."

***

The day was bright as the remaining members of the Scooby Gang broke for lunch. Buffy, Willow and Oz headed over to Starbucks for frappacinos, and talked along the way.

"So exactly what do you think is going to happen?" Buffy asked Willow.

"I have no idea," she said, holding Oz's hand. "I do know that if Gaby dies, there will be a lot of problems for the council, so I hope they're doing everything in their power to help."

"They should after getting scared by Alex and Spike," Oz said.

"Spike alone is scary," Willow said. "Alex doesn't look like the type to really hurt anyone, and that makes her dangerous when upset."

"Kind of like a walking lethal weapon?" Buffy asked.

Willow nodded. "I just hope whatever they're doing with Gaby gets her back alive."

***

"Excuse me?" Gaby asked. "Travel in time?"

Donald nodded. "500 years, to be exact. You will have to take him along," he said, pointing to Xander, "as well as Tom. The Slayer that killed the demon failed to do a rite, and it will need to be done in order to keep the Hellmouth from developing."

She nodded, slowly taking it in. "So why did I bring those?" She pointed to her computer and her Book of Shadows.

"The book will go with you, so that you may use it to do the rite. The laptop will help us find out if you have changed history."

"Umm...what happens when I do? I mean, do we all come back that instant?"

"No. You will go back for a week's worth of time, and when that week is done, the survivors shall come back."

Xander had started to pace. "When do we leave?"

"Tomorrow evening, at midnight. You will come here by ten to change into period clothing, then the transport spell will be cast."

"What do we do until then?" he asked.

"Whatever you like. You may go now," Donald said, handing them the laptop and Book of Shadows. "Good night."

They walked out and headed back into town. "That was creepy," Gaby said.

"Are you sure you want to do this?" Xander asked. "I mean, knowing you might...?"

"Die?" Xander nodded. "Look, I'll be fine. And so will you and Tom. We just need to get some sleep, and we'll be fine. Gaby, I--." He stopped the sentence, looking very embarrassed for some reason. They entered the inn and quietly headed towards their room.

Once inside, Gaby turned around and looked at him "You what?"

He kissed her gently. "I love you, and I...I want..."

"Do you want to...sleep with me?" she asked quietly. He nodded, his face still inches away.

"I want to..." she said, trailing off the sentence as she reached up and kissed him. The kisses went from gentle to passionate and hungry, and soon, the two found their way to the bed. The lights went off, and only the two of them made any sound.

***

"Wow." Gaby laid in bed next to Xander.

"Yeah," he said, holding her close to him. "I'm glad, you know."

"So am I. I love you."

"I love you too. I'm scared, though."

"Me too. Tomorrow isn't going to be a good day." Gaby started to cry a little bit, and she turned to face Xander. The moonlight shone on her face, and Xander wiped the tears away.

"But we'll be together, at least. And can you imagine what we'll be able to talk about after this?"

"How do we know we'll both get back?" she asked.

"Faith. In you and the Druids. Besides, I promised I wouldn't hurt you, and I won't let anyone else hurt you either." He held her close, feeling her warm skin against his, and whispered in her ear, "Love conquers all."

But she didn't hear him. She had fallen asleep, and she knew she would have no dreams that night.

***

Back in England, Alex was on the phone.

"Pick up," she muttered to herself. Spike stirred around in bed and, finding himself the only occupant, got up and walked over to the desk.

"Aren't you going to get any sleep?" he asked, yawning slightly.

"Oh," she replied. "I need to talk to my uncle, but he doesn't seem to be picking up." She hung up the phone and turned around in her chair. "I'm sorry I woke you up."

"It wasn't you who woke me up. It was the lack of heat."

"See? I woke you up." She stood up and walked toward her window, looking down at the empty street below. "Can you believe that street was busy not too long ago?" she asked quietly.

Spike walked over to her and smiled. "Yes. I used to do this exact same thing the last time I was in London."

"What was it like?"

"You should know. It was only a few years ago."

"Why'd you come here?"

"To find Dru, but I ended up watching you. Out of habit, I suppose."

She turned around and faced him. "How much did you watch me?" she asked with a strange sound in her voice.

He smiled even more. "Not much. Just followed you around London a bit, and I saw you do a few things, like eating and sleeping."

"You watched me sleep?"

"One of my more recent pastimes." He headed back towards the bed. "And I think I'd like to continue doing it. Coming?"

She walked over slowly and climbed back into bed. She fell asleep almost as soon as her head touched the pillow, and Spike lovingly looked down on her.

I hope I never have to stop doing this, he thought as he looked at her. I will turn her if I have to, like I promised. And then he fell asleep.

***

Giles entered the library just as the phone stopped ringing. "Damn," he muttered.

"What?" Patricia asked.

"I missed the phone. Only two people would have called when school's out."

"Alex and Gaby?"

He nodded. "What was the emergency?" he asked.

"Not much. My expertise in pediatrics was needed for a surgery, but it's done and now I can keep enjoying my vacation." She smiled at Giles.

He smiled back. "And you will think about spending some time with me, correct?"

She walked over to him. "I was planning to," she said, leaning over to kiss him.

"Hmm. I think we'll leave again," Buffy said.

The two adults broke apart. "No. Perfect timing," Giles said, mumbling. "As usual."

"Wanna repeat that?" Oz asked.

"Not really, no," he said.

"Have you heard from anyone on what's going on?" Willow asked. Giles shook his head.

"Well, I'm getting worried," Patricia said.

"We all are. Let's just hope that everything will turn out fine in the end," Giles said, hoping everything would.

***

At ten the next evening, after a long day spent alone together, Xander and Gaby went back to the small building. They were very quiet, both lost in their own thoughts. After a bit of small talk with the Druids, they went to the bathrooms and changed into period clothing.

"Ow!" Gaby said, as one of the Druids helped with her corset. "That hurts!"

The Druid laughed slightly. "I'm sorry. I'm only used to putting a bra on," she said.

"Me too. I don't think I can stand this for a week."

"Well, you will have to. It's not so bad, once you get used to it. I've had to wear one before."

"And how long does it take to get used to it?"

"About a week."

Gaby laughed. "Oh well, if I need to do it to save the world, then I can deal with the discomfort."

She was finally dressed in the fashions of the nobility: a dress with a ruffled neckline, puffed out sleeves and a full skirt. Her hair was then curled and placed in the way of the people back then. As she walked out, Xander, who was dressed in a similar shirt and knee breeches, looked startled. "You look...beautiful," he marveled.

"I feel really uncomfortable." She sat down as best she could.

"And there is one last spell to cast," Donald said. He began chanting, and then stopped. "Say something."

"What did you do?" Gaby asked and everyone nodded. Donald asked her a question in a slightly different version of English, and she responded. Xander and Tom did the same.

"I cast a spell that would let you understand the older version of English, but everything would be translated into modern English. Likewise, everything you say in modern English will be perceived in middle English by those you talk to."

"Wow," Xander muttered. "When do we leave?"

"At midnight," Tom replied. Gaby pulled up her laptop and sent a quick message to her sister and to Willow.

"Hey, guys, don't expect to hear from me or Xander for a week. It seems we're going somewhere...the 1400s. We leave in an hour. If I don't come back...I love all of you. Bye."

She sent it and hoped they got it.

***

"You've got mail."

The annoying mechanical voice woke Spike up. Alex had left her laptop on again, it seemed. He went to go shut it off, but looked at who sent it first.

"Damn," he muttered and walked back over to the bed. "Alex, love, wake up."

"Hmm?" a groggy voice asked from under a pillow.

"An e-mail just arrived. From Gaby."

"I'll check it in the--" Her head popped out from under the pillow. "Did you say Gaby?"

He nodded. "Yes."

She pulled herself off the bed, with a bit of help from Spike, put on her glasses and sat down at the computer. "Oh no," she said after reading the message.

"What?" Spike asked, reading over her shoulder. "Oh," he responded quietly when he was done.

She hit the reply button and typed, "Hey, sis. You woke us up. Don't talk like that; you'll be back soon. Be careful, though, and remember your manners. Love ya lots, same with Xander. Enjoy the trip, okay? E-mail me ASAP when you get back." She sent the message out, and closed her mail out.

"I'm scared for her," Alex whispered, looking at the laptop as her screen saver came on. She sat there in total shock. Spike reached over and squeezed her hands, which were on the laptop's keyboard.

"So am I."

***

Willow was getting ready to go get something to eat when her laptop said, "You've got mail." She signed on, and squealed. "Guys, it's from Gaby."

She pulled it up and gasped. Everyone else came over to look at it, and their jaws dropped. "That can't really happen....can it?" Buffy asked.

Giles frowned, then nodded. "Yes, actually, it can. I hope they're sending someone else as well, who has the knowledge of the period."

"I don't think they'd send them alone," Oz said.

Patricia shook her head. "They might. This spell takes a lot of power, and the more people being sent requires more power. I've attempted this spell before."

Willow looked up. "So what do I type?"

"Tell her to respond as soon as she comes back, and to be careful," Giles said, realizing that if Gaby died, there was a chance he might never get to see her, even in death. He turned away from the group.

"And tell her I love her," he added before leaving the room with tears falling down his face.

***

The messages came within seconds of each other. She typed in a quick response. "Sorry I woke you up, Alex and Spike, but I'm glad you wrote. You too, Willow. I will write back ASAP, and I appreciate the concern. We'll all be responsible. Be back in a week!" She sent the message out, just as Donald called them outside.

The Druids and the Americans walked towards an open field, and then formed a circle around the three travelers. A slow, consistent chanting began, and soon the circle began to glow. Tom, Gaby and Xander stood in the center, and a bright light almost blinded them.

The earth around them spinned, and all three shut their eyes and darkness took over. And suddenly, everything stopped.

***

The three stood up and found themselves in a field, in the middle of the night.

"Great. What are we supposed to do know?" Xander asked, helping Gaby stand up.

Tom pulled out a pouch, which looked rather heavy. "Get a place to stay and our identities established." The three headed towards the town, which was much smaller than in modern times.

Arriving at the only inn in the town, Tom went inside, motioning for Xander and Gaby to wait outside. When he stuck his head out a few moments later, the two walked in.

"Evening," the innkeeper said.

Tom bowed his head towards the man, and Xander followed. Gaby did a small curtsy, and followed the two men up the stairs. "We will all have to share a room, and I was wondering what your sleeping arrangements have been," Tom asked.

"Well...." Gaby replied, blushing. Tom opened his mouth in an O.

"I see. You two may have the bed, and I shall take whatever else is there." They entered their room. It was simple: a bed, a wash basin, a mirror, a chest of drawers and a closet like area, as well as a small sitting couch.

As they got settled in, Tom told them what he had told the innkeeper. "You are a young married couple from England, which will explain the strange accents, and I am your guide. You were robbed and have no clothes or possessions other than those with you now. I, being a brilliant person, managed to salvage this pouch."

The two nodded, and sat on the bed. "I won't be able to get this back on if I take it off," Gaby said, motioning to her corset. Xander nodded and pulled back the bedspread. The two climbed in next to each other and fell asleep.

***

"I can't sleep. I'm sorry."

It was midnight, but Alex got up out of bed and went into the den. She was telling the truth; she was too worried to sleep. She pulled out her Book of Shadows and started to look through it. She read every single page, and was still up the following morning when Spike woke up.

"Love, what are you doing?"

"I don't know. I needed to look through this book." She sighed and closed it. "I don't know anything, it seems. There's a Council meeting tonight, and the council has asked me to bring you. Don't know why. And then Gaby and Xander...."

She curled up around her book, and then looked up at the ceiling. "I really hate feeling lost, and that's exactly how I feel right now."

"You're stressed," Spike said calmly.

"I guess." An idea popped into her head. "Council meeting starts at nine, sun sets at five, right?" Spike nodded. "We're paying a visit to two of my old friends. If anyone knows what to do, they will."

***

"Ma'am, I can't help you."

Gaby looked as though she would start to cry, and the butcher took pity on her. "All I can tell you is the last time I saw Elizabeth, she was on her way to another town. Said she'd be back in a few days, and that was nearly three weeks ago."

Gaby smiled, and curtsied a bit. "Thank you, sir." She headed back to the inn and went inside the adjoining tavern. "Could I have a bit of water, please? And some bread and cheese?" she asked the barmaid.

Gaby went to a small table and waited calmly for Xander or Tom to show up. Finally, after rejecting the offers of many men, she saw both of them coming back, their clothes torn and stained.

"My God, what happened to you?" she asked as they sat down.

"Barn animals." Tom said with a scowl on his face.

"Then some town jerks," Xander added, eating a bit of the cheese.

"Well, did you find anything out?" Gaby asked.

"We'll talk when we're upstairs," Tom said, and they continued to eat a bit.

When their meal was done, they went upstairs and into their room. Gaby took her cloak off and put it on the chair. The innkeeper's daughter had some old clothing she was lending Gaby, and the innkeeper had shown Xander and Tom to a decent tailor.

"We found out Elizabeth is the Slayer. We talked to her Watcher, who was a rather helpful man. Accounts for the teacher around here. But he hasn't seen her in almost a month," Tom said.

Gaby sighed. "I didn't get much more. I talked to the butcher, who happens to be Elizabeth's father. He said she left town three weeks ago."

"Turns out her family doesn't have much money, but she was supposed to marry a nobleman who she hated," Xander said.

"So that might be why she left?" Gaby asked.

"If it is, she probably came to slay the demon and then left before her fiancee could come and get her," Xander said. Tom nodded while Xander continued. "And we got one more useful thing; a description. And you'll never believe who she looks like," he added.

"Who does she look like?" Gaby asked.

***

"Here's a picture," Giles said, taking a look at Willow and then back at the picture. "Remarkable resemblance," he muttered.

"Let me see!" Willow exclaimed, grabbing the book. "Oh my," she whispered.

"She's a Slayer?" Buffy asked, looking at the picture. "Maybe at Halloween a few years ago I should have been the ghost and you should have been the charming old fashioned lady."

"Sure. Like we didn't have enough problems that night," Willow muttered.

Oz cleared his throat. "I hope they know this."

"I do too," Patricia muttered. "I think I know a spell that will transport information from one Book of Shadows to another in any time period." She went to Giles' office to get her Book of Shadows.

"If we can, then we can transmit this other information as well," Giles said.

"Let's hope I can find the spell," Patricia said, putting on her glasses and opening her book.

***

"I found it!"

Regina Weaver pulled out a box and handed it to Alex. "Spike, can you help me get this one down?" she asked the blond vampire. He pulled down a dusty box, and Regina swept the dust off right into his face.

"Thank God I don't have to breathe," he muttered, taking the box and setting it down next to the others.

Sam walked in and brought out a glass bowl full of herbs. "These are the herbs you needed, right Regina?"

She walked over to her husband and sniffed at the bowl. "Add yarrow root and that'll be it." Walking back to her guests, she took a good look at Spike. "So. You're a vampire?"

He nodded. "Almost 200 years old."

"And you were the one they sent Alex over to watch for, right?"

"Yeah."

"And what happened? She gets too embarrassed to tell us." Alex blushed and mumbled something about helping Sam. Regina looked at Spike and smiled. "Since her parents are dead, we've taken over the interrogation of boyfriends. But you both seem to be more than that."

Spike smiled back. "We are," he said simply. "I'm always surprised by her, though. She's beautiful, and intelligent, and unlike anyone I've ever met. I guess, slowly, I fell in love with her. And vice versa, mate. And I had no idea she got embarrassed by you."

"It shows. She was always an interesting person. One day, she happened in here for Midsummer ritual supplies, and she ran into another Watcher. They got into an argument over a policy, and we came out to see what was happening. She got very embarrassed, but the other gentleman got very uncouth towards us."

"I think I heard about this. Alex apologized to you and threatened to turn him into a toad?"

Regina laughed. "That's the story. She came here every afternoon after that, and we adopted her in a way. We've never had children, and she was like our own daughter. In fact, Sam was to have given her away at her wedding, had she had it." The smile disappeared.

Sam and Alex walked out with the herbs and a few other tools. "Now, dear, you're sure you know how to do this?" he was asking.

"Of course. You were the one that taught it to me." Alex laughed and walked over to Spike. "Is your interrogation over?"

"He's fine. I approve," Regina said, and opened the box Spike had set down. She pulled out a raw silk shift and a diadem and set them down. Rummaging through the box, she finally pulled out a long crystal wand.

"This is for casting the spell. Go ahead and keep it when you're done." She handed it to Alex and started rummaging through the other box. Finally, she pulled out a large glass globe. "And this is to see the events as they unfold." She handed that to Spike. "Anything else?"

"Just a question," Alex said.

"What?" Sam asked.

"How'd I get so lucky?" she said, looking at her surrogate parents with smiles.

***

"I guess we'll never know," Buffy muttered as Patricia set down the Book of Shadows.

"I don't understand. The spell was there a few weeks ago. Alex used it to copy a spell to her book," Patricia said, her eyebrows bunching together in frustration.

"Maybe she has a copy of it?" Willow asked hopefully, but Patricia shook her head.

"No, my family was one of the few to have that spell. I think Arthur Stewart, the head of the Watcher's Council, might have it. I wonder if he's at home?"

"Can you call him?" Giles asked, rubbing his tire eyes.

Patricia nodded. "And if the Council is having a meeting, then I can get a hold of him through Alex. She's probably carrying at least her pager, but hopefully she'll have her cell phone." She went over to the phone and dialed a number.

***

"Hello? Is this the party of travelers looking for Elizabeth?" A woman's voice was at the door. Xander stood up and went to the door.

"Yes, who are you?"

"I can only show you. I cannot tell you. Please open the door." Xander sighed and opened it.

Standing in the doorway was Elizabeth herself.