TITLE : SOLITUDE
PART : 4
AUTHOR : Catherine
EMAIL : catzen20@aol.com
DISCLAIMER : The characters are the property of Joss Whedon, Mutant Enemy, Sandollar Productions, Kuzui Enterprises, 20th Century Fox Television, the WB Television Network, and whoever else may have a hold on them. I do not mean to infringe upon any copyrights.

THE NEXT DAY, LATE IN THE AFTERNOON
When Willow came back to her dorm room, she began to be a little worried about Buffy. She hadn't seen her since that last afternoon. Buffy had let her a note yesterday in she told Willow that she would probably miss class all the day. Even if that wasn't her style to miss an entire day now, Willow presumed that she and Giles wanted to have some time together, or needed some Slayer/Watcher time. But that was yesterday. She began to look around the room to see if there was any sign that Buffy came back to their room today. On Buffy's bed, she saw their last psychology homework. She couldn't help herself and glanced at it; she had never really known Buffy's grade. Buffy had told her that it was okay.

*That couldn't be that bad.* She thought, opening it. She was shocked when she saw her grade…"Oh!" Her expression was wild with surprise. Thinking she hadn't seen it correctly, she blinked several times, and after a moment, accepted that it wasn't a mistake. The A+ was still there.

"So, Buffy is…She is…I can't believe it! Why she hasn't told me! I'm her best friend, she could have told me! She should have told me!" Her worry quickly forgotten, she dialed Giles' number in hope of having some explanation from a certain best friend who could have some big problems with a certain witch.

Giles had only the time to say Hello when he picked up his phone, when he was submerged by a tidal wave of rambling from Willow.

"Hi Giles. Buffy's there. Can I have a talk with my best friend, please? Best friend, yes, cause she's mine, and thought that I was hers too. But if I was, she should have informed me about that little thing…Don't you think? By the way, you should have told her that to hide that from her best friend--which I am--isn't in the best friend's rule. I can't belie-"

Several times, Giles tried to put in a word but without success, until now.

"Willow!" he screamed. That cut her off.

"Yes?" she said shyly.

"Could you, please, explain to me what you...are saying? Have you drunk some coffee? And why did you call here if you want to talk to Buffy?" He said his last sentence in a sad and soft voice.

That last part alarmed her. "Well, because, you and Buffy, I mean, you're together so-"

"Together?" Giles was lost, "What do you mean, Willow? I haven't seen her since," he sighed, "since some weeks now."

"You mean you, you aren't together, as a couple?" It was her turn now to be lost by what Giles said.

"Coup-le!?!" Giles stammered, "Why, why would you have the impression that…that Buffy and I are, were-"

"Because she told me that," Willow said softly.

"She what?" Giles was astounded.

Then, a fact hit Willow; if Buffy wasn't at Giles' so…" Giles!" she exclaimed worried, "I haven't seen her or heard from her for two days!"

"Willow," Giles said gently, "don't worry, I'm sure she's perfectly fine." He tried to be reassuring. But he wasn't really.

"But-"

"Why don't you call Xander and come to my flat. There, we could try to resolve this mystery about Buffy. Maybe Xander knows something." Giles said, but Willow could hear his worry.

*Buffy! Where are you? Please, please, let her be fine. Make her come back to me.* It was like a prayer.

Willow agreed, and said that she would ask Oz to come too. She called Xander to inform him about the situation. He told her that he and Anya would be at Giles' as soon as possible.

SOME TIME LATER, AT GILES'
All the gang was reunited in Giles' living room. Giles put the tray of tea, juice and cakes on the table, then sat down.

"So, the Buffster lied to us," began Xander, "why?"

"I have no idea, Xander." That was Giles' only answer; he too was as lost as the others about Buffy's attitude.

"She told us, some weeks ago, that you and she were together. I don't understand why she did that." Willow shook her head.

"I don't know either, Willow. I haven't seen her since-When did she tell you that?"

"It was around the beginning of college." Willow said.

*So, that could be the day when Olivia…* He thought.

"Well," Giles explained, "the last day I saw her was when…Olivia was here." Giles thought about that day. Painfully, he remembered now how hurt Buffy seemed to be at that moment. He hadn't noticed that until now, or hadn't wanted to see it.

"Who is Olivia?" Oz asked simply after a few moment of silence.

Giles looked at him, then smiled. He knew that Oz didn't mean to be curious or anything else, his only preoccupation for now as everyone else here was to find why and especially where Buffy could be here.

"She's…she's a friend." Giles said simply. Oz understood what he meant, as did Xander and Anya.

"A friend? I don't see why Buffy…" then Willow eyes grew big, "Oh! You mean a-"

"An orgasm friend," Anya said with her legendary tact.

Xander spilt her drink, "Honey, remember when we had that little talk about what to say and not to say in public. I think it's a good moment to remember it," he said.

"I don't see why. Giles and that Olivia had some orgasms, so she was his orgasm friend. Why couldn't I say that?" Anya shrugged.

"Okay, we will have another talk about some things. She's new to the human thing." Xander said shyly.

Anya looked at him, but before she could add something, Xander tried to change the subject, "Willow, are you sure about Buffy super student? I mean, you could have not correctly seen her grade."

Willow shook her head, "Nope." With that she took from her bag Buffy's last homework.

She showed them the grade, no mistake was possible. Xander nodded, "Okay, super slayer and super student. Yay for Buffy!"

Giles took it and looked at the grade. *Incredible!* He was surprised like the others, but not as surprised as them, to tell the truth. He knew that Buffy had some great potential; after all she had succeed very well in her evaluations. He was very proud of her.

Closing it, something on the cover drawn his attention. Buffy had written something on it. He couldn't believe it, or believe what he read.

"Willow." He said with some fear, "Since when…when have you had it?"

"Well, two days. Why?"

But Giles was lost in his thoughts; all they could be hear was, "So, yesterday, that wasn't a dream! She was really here! Oh no! Not that!" he said panicked. Then, he got up quickly and went upstairs without four confused people.

When Giles reappeared some moments later, fear and worry could be read on his face. He shook his head, repeating, "She took it."

"What happens Giles? What did she take?" Xander asked, as worried as the others to see Giles like that.

"Giles, what is it?" Willow tried.

Giles sat down; then, he began to explain to them, "Buffy took a book, the book," he took a deep breath, "the book to say the incantation. A special incantation."

"The Pokara's incantation." Anya said. She had looked at the cover and saw what was written there. Immediately, she realized what that meant.

Giles nodded.

"But she can't," Anya retorted.

"Someone could explain to us poor people here completely out of it what you just said?"

Giles and Anya looked at Xander.

"Yes, I mean, everyone in this place who didn't understand a word from you two, raise their hands." And Xander raised his.

"And she doesn't know the language," Anya said, ignoring Xander's comment.

"What language? And what incantation?" Willow asked.

Giles sighed, then "Apparently, Buffy met some demons, specific demons. The Pokaras. They are very dangerous. Not because they are good fighters, but especially because of their defense. An invisible barrier wrapped them. Only an incantation may erase it. That incantation is in a book, because obviously Buffy came here and took that book."

"Okay, I think we understood that part, G-man," Xander said, but gulped when he saw Giles' glare on him. "Sorry," Xander mumbled.

"It's written in Etruscan," Giles pursued.

"Why is that familiar to me?" Xander asked.

"Eyghon!" Willow said.

Giles nodded, "Yes."

Anya looked at them. "Eyghon?"

"Yes, Eyghon is the sleepwalker and-"

"I know who Eyghon is. Ex-vengeance demon here, remember. I know. But you, how do you know him?" She was curious and suspicious, especially when she looked at Xander.

"Well, hon, I'm not sure that's the real problem here."

Then Anya saw Giles turn red as a crayfish, and understood immediately.

"So Giles…" She grinned.

"Well, as Xander said, that's not the problem here. I remind you that Buffy could be in grave danger."

"But as said Giles, it's in Etruscan." Oz tried to be reassured.

"Not sure that may be a help," Willow said; everyone looking at her, "I'm sure she found a way…well, I know that she was curious about-" She looked at Giles, "You know. And like everything was in that language, I think she has some basis in it. So, I'm not sure the language may be a real problem. She can find a way to read it."

Giles couldn't believe it, Buffy had wanted to research Eyghon because of him. They really needed to talk soon, and then, he could tell her his feelings.

"But she can't!" Anya said again.

"Anya, honey, if she can read, Buffy-"

"Anya's right, Xander."

Anya smiled proudly.

Willow, Xander and Oz were looking at him, waiting for an explanation.

"Buffy can't use that spell alone. To realize that spell a watcher and a slayer are needed. That spell, the incantation, is very powerful. The energy must be canalized, slayer's energy and force; knowledge and force of the watcher. It's a real exchange. The watcher receives the slayer's essence, as the slayer receives the watcher's essence; with that they don't evaporate in the atmosphere, to simplify."

"And after that everyone gets back their own essence, right?" Xander asked.

"Yes, and no. Do I need to explain?"

"No, I think I will accept the 'yes and no' answer." Xander smiled.

"Good." Giles smiled back to him.

"Okay, so, Buffy can't realize it alone. That spell won't work." Willow said with relief.

"Unfortunately, no Willow." Giles said sadly,"Buffy can say it and even beat that demon. But after a few moments…" he couldn't finish his sentence, but said, "We must find her quickly. If not, we'll lose her," he said with emotion.

"You mean?"

"Yes, Willow," Giles tried to be strong, when he finished his sentence, "she'll die." But he was terrified.

NEXT