TITLE: Mexico 1/9
AUTHOR: Rari Coss
E-MAIL ADDRESS: RariCoss1956@yahoo.com
SPOILER WARNING: Through end of Season 6
RATING: NC-17
PAIRING: B/G and more
DISTRIBUTION: Gabi, Nikki, Dee, Dword, Della
DISCLAIMER: It all belongs to Joss, the WB, UPN, Fox, Mutant Enemy and anybody else who feels they own it. Oh, and I have no idea who owns Scarecrow and Mrs. King but I’m sure they have much more money than I do and I’m only playing.
SUMMARY: Crossover fic between BtVS and Scarecrow and Mrs. King. Billy sends Amanda and Lee to Sunnydale to look for the missing son of a friend of his.
NOTES: This is a specially requested birthday prezzie for Gileswench who, like me, was a big fan of Scarecrow and Mrs. King. Happy Birthday, my dear friend.
FEEDBACK: Absolutely.
BETA WARNING: I got this finished at the last minute so this has not been checked, mauled and overhauled by my usual extraordinary betas. So, I own all the boo-boos. A special thanks to Dword who did a speed read for me to make sure it was worth reading!

AUTHOR NOTES: For those of you who have never seen Scarecrow and Mrs. King here’s a little help. Lee Stetson is a spy, codename Scarecrow, who works for a top government agency which we never know the name of. The front for the agency is IFF, an independent film company. Amanda King is a divorced suburban housewife with two sons, who ends up helping Lee on a case, and ends up getting sucked up into the whirlwind of his life. Francine is a co-worker of Lee’s who likes to be a bitch. Billy is their boss. Okay…on with the show.

Francine had been picking through the detritus of the last known residence of one Jonathan Levinson when she was attacked. The first thing she had noticed was a handsome man standing there, staring at her. She’d flashed him her world famous smile, the one that almost always got her noticed by a man, and then, before she could say a word, his face had changed, he had moved like a blur, and he’d latched onto her neck with a painful bite and she knew she was going to die.

All her expertise in hand to hand combat seemed useless against her attacker. Her own fear and disbelief at what was happening had further debilitated her.

She looked at her reflection in the mirror. Her face was as pale as she’d ever seen it. Francine knew she probably needed a blood transfusion. But that would mean she’d have to admit that she had actually been attacked by a vampire and she wasn’t ready to do that. It terrified her too much.

Turning her head she looked at the puncture wounds. She let out a hiss of displeasure. “Shit, those are going to leave a scar.” Realizing that she was extraordinarily lucky to be alive, complaining about a potential scar seemed petty, but Francine liked looking beautiful, and a large scar on her neck was bothersome to the extreme.

She had no idea why her attacker had suddenly left, unless it had been the earthquake. Through the haze of her impending death and the pain of the teeth in her neck, Francine had still felt the tremor in the ground underneath their feet. Then she’d been dumped on her ass, and she’d watched in astonishment as the man, or whatever he was, ran away.

Francine snorted. Despite her fears, she wasn’t sure that she was that impressed with a supposed creature of the night if a little earthquake scared it away. After all, this was California. Living in California and being afraid of a little earthquake would be as ridiculous as living in D.C. and being afraid of a little government corruption.

Sighing at the mirror again, she picked up the small black diary she had found underneath the rubble before she’d been attacked. It was one of those old-fashioned ones with a small snap lock to secure it. Francine had rolled her eyes when she saw that. It had taken her less than a second to pick the lock with a paperclip.

She settled back on the bed in the hotel room she was staying in. It was disgustingly below her usual standards, but there hadn’t been much to choose from in this one horse town. She longed for the D.C. nightlife. Francine opened the diary and picked up where she left off, shaking her head again at the infantile warning that anyone who read the diary was in BIG TROUBLE.

Her first assumption as she started to read was that this guy had used the diary to write some outlandish science fiction stories. But as she read on, and as the holes in her neck throbbed in constant reminder of her own encounter of the something kind, she started getting nervous. After a while she got up and made sure the window was closed and both locks were secured on the door.

***

Buffy didn’t think the sky had ever been so blue. She sent her sister a brilliant smile which Dawn returned. The Slayer let out a happy sigh. “I think I’m happy.”

Dawn let out a giggle, delighted with her sister’s ebullient mood, considering how depressed and taciturn she’d been. She gestured around her. “And hey, the world’s still here.”

Buffy nodded firmly. “Which is a good thing.”

“A very good thing.”

Suddenly Buffy let out a gasp, and a pained look crossed her face, her eyes brightening with tears. “Oh, God.”

Dawn looked at her with dismay, watching the good mood vanish as quickly as it had arrived. “What is it?”

“Giles. I forgot about Giles.” She sent Dawn an anguished look. “How could I have forgotten about him?” Buffy remembered the pain that had shot through her when Anya had appeared and told her that Giles was dying. A few tears escaped as she let out a wounded cry. “I gotta go.” Without another word she was gone, running as fast as she could.

Dawn watched her sister disappear and let out a sigh. “So much for staying by my side and showing me the world.” Then, as worry for Giles consumed her as well she began quickly walking back to the Magic Box.

***

Buffy got to the shop just as Anya was assisting Giles out the door. Buffy kept running and threw herself in his arms. Only her strength kept him from falling backwards. Anya was reluctantly forced to let go. Buffy held on tight. “You’re alive!”

Anya scowled. “No thanks to you.”

Buffy ignored her. She pulled back and looked up at Giles. “Are you all right?” Her eyes were still bright. “Anya said…” She couldn’t finish the sentence, the idea of him dying too difficult for her to speak about.

Giles smiled tightly. “I thought I was dying. I think I should be.”

“But, you’re okay, right. I mean, you’re not going to die, are you?”

Giles shook his head. “No, I think I’m fine. I’m a bit bruised and quite tired, but other than that…” He smiled down at her. “How about you? Are you all right?” He glanced around. “Where’s Dawn?”

Buffy pointed back from where she had just come from. “She’s coming. I’m fine, so is she.” Realizing she still had her arms around Giles she blushed and took a step back, letting her arms fall to her side. “What happened?”

Anya sent Giles a proud look. “It was Giles. He dosed Willow.”

Buffy’s eyebrows furrowed. “What?”

“He dosed her with good magic. It let her get in touch with the goodness in her." Anya frowned. "The little tiny bit of goodness that was buried deep underneath her completely psychotic outer parts."

Giles sent her a gentle remonstrative look. "Anya." He turned to Buffy. “I can’t take all the credit. It was Xander who made the real difference.”

Anya’s eyes darkened with a dangerous gleam. She was in no mood to give any credit to Xander. “He couldn’t have done anything without what you did. And it almost killed you.”

Giles frowned at the thought. “I’m still not sure why I’m not dead.”

Buffy glared at him. “You sound like you’re complaining.”

Giles gave her a tired grin. “No, I’m not complaining, I just was told that if she took the bait and stole my magic, that I wouldn’t survive.”

Buffy let out a horrified gasp. “You came here expecting to die?”

“I didn’t know any other way to stop her. You saw how powerful she was.”

Buffy grimaced. She had seen how powerful Willow was. And felt it. Even with her Slayer healing she was sure she still was sporting a bruise or two. She’d also seen Giles completely rout Willow and bind her power. She looked at him with a new found respect. But then she grew worried again. “Is all your magic gone?”

He shook his head. “No, at least I don’t think so. Until I know otherwise I have to assume that when Willow found herself again that some of that magic was released and found it’s way back to me. That’s the only reason I can think that I’m alive.” He stumbled a little and Buffy was at his side instantly, holding him up.

“Let’s get you home.”

He looked at her, his eyes surprised. “Home?”

“My home, yours too. You’re staying with me.” Her voice brooked no disagreement. She shied away from the thought of him leaving again.

Giles smiled at her, not having the strength to argue even if he were inclined to, which he wasn’t. Staying with Buffy suited him fine. The thought of lying down and sleeping sounded like heaven, but there was one more job to do. “Someone has to go find Xander and Willow.”

Anya moved to Giles’ side and slid her arm around his waist, appropriating him from Buffy. “Buffy can go find them.” She had no intention of taking on that job.

Buffy frowned at Anya. She didn’t want to let go of Giles. “Why don’t you go. He’s your boyfriend.”

Anya hissed her response. “Ex boyfriend, ex fiancé. Ex everything.” She moved even closer to Giles. “I’m not leaving Giles. I’m the one who’s been with him while you’ve been all useless trapped underground.”

Buffy sent a pointed glance in the direction of the destroyed store. “Yeah, and you’ve done such a good job protecting him and the shop. Remind me not to have you baby-sit.”

Anya glared at her. “I did better than you did. You couldn't even get out of your hole.”

Giles let out a sigh. “Perhaps it might be prudent if I go and find them.”

Buffy’s lips tightened as she realized she was going to have to give in. “You’re in no condition to drive. I’ll go.” She looked at the remains of the shop. “My keys are in there.”

Giles carefully turned, not wanting to stumble again. “Be careful, I’m not sure how stable the building is right now.”

Anya scowled as she looked at the remains. “The insurance company’s going to cancel our policy.”

Giles tilted his head to the side. “You can hardly blame them. They certainly can’t be making any money on the premiums we pay them, considering how often we incur damages.” He watched nervously as Buffy gingerly made her way into the store to retrieve her backpack. He let out a silent sigh of relief when she returned safely.

She held up her keys with a flourish. “Do you know where they are?”

Giles had seen it all in his mind as it had played out. “They’re on the overlook, north of Sunnydale. Or at least that’s where they were. They may be on their way back.”

“I’ll find them.” Buffy glared at Anya. “No demon funny business. Just get him home safely.”

Anya let out an insulted noise but then decided Buffy's comment wasn’t worthy of an additional response. Then she decided it was. “Just go and be useful.” She took a hold of Giles’ arm. “I’ll take care of Giles.”

Buffy’s eyes narrowed at the fingers wrapped around Giles’ arm. It made her, just for a moment, want to rip off Anya’s fingers.

Giles again intervened. “Buffy, I’ll be fine. I’ll try very hard not to scorn any women between here and your house.” His lips tightened. “I’m worried about them. They might need help.”

Buffy nodded. “You’re right. I’m going.” She sent a warning glare toward Anya and without another word she spun around and headed for her car.

***

Buffy found them still on the overlook. Xander was sitting on the ground, Willow almost in his lap. Willow’s hair was red again, and her face was blotchy from crying.

Buffy crouched down next to Xander. “Hey.” Xander’s eyes slowly focused on her. Then she noticed the wounds on his face and chest. “You all right?”

He nodded and then looked down at the small woman in his arms. Glancing up at Buffy again, he tightened his hold on her. “She’s all right, Buffy, she’s all right now.”

Buffy smiled tightly at him. She remembered Giles’ words and wondered if Willow would ever be all right again. It wasn’t that she wouldn’t be forgiven. Seeing Willow look so broken in Xander’s arms made it hard for Buffy to even remember her anger. But she had known Willow a long time. And while Buffy knew most everyone would eventually forgive Willow, it was Willow who would be unforgiving of herself.

It had taken her months to stop her self flagellating behavior after the spell she’d cast that had turned Giles blind, and made her kiss Spike. And the tears and self-recriminations after she’d realized what she’d done to Buffy by bringing her back from the dead had driven Buffy to distraction. And then there had been Dawn’s broken arm, and Willow’s betrayal of Tara. All of which Willow had been paying for with major guilt.

And now…she’d tried to kill them all. She had killed Warren, as gruesomely as possible. Buffy didn’t know if there would be any Willow left at all after this, any of the Willow she had loved so much at one time? Buffy was afraid there would only be an endlessly apologetic version of the friend she once knew.

It all felt so overwhelming. Even though they had won this particular war, the thought of trying to pick up the pieces made it feel as if the battle had just begun. Buffy thought of Giles and she knew she had to make him stay. She couldn’t even begin to put it all back together without him here. The pang of unhappiness that pierced through her at the thought of him leaving again felt like a knife wound.

Silently she helped Xander get Willow in the back seat of the car, and then watched as he climbed in next to her. Buffy got in the front and chauffeured them home.

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