Series: The Hellmouth Chronicles
Title: Winter of Discontent 28/?
Author: Gileswench
Contact: gileswench@yahoo.com
Date: 2/26/04
Spoilers: From the usual spots for this series.
Summary: Life and death and power and a surprise guest.
Rating: R for mild femslash, Habitrail foo, Miss Kitty abuse, death, destruction, and despair.
Pairing: Buffy/Giles, W/T, X/Anya, Wes/C, Joyce/Crystal
Distribution: If you've had my permission in the past, you have it now. All others, ask and ye shall receive.
Feedback: Constructive criticism always welcome. Praise abjectly sought.
Disclaimer: It all belongs to Joss, Mutant Enemy, etc., etc., etc. I just let them have all the fun Joss won't. I own nothing except my twisted mind which you really don't want. Please don't sue.

Angel grabbed two minions and knocked their heads together. The pair wobbled briefly, then fell senseless to the ground. As another vamp headed for Anya, Spike rolled into it and knocked it down. The girl was busy, after all, grappling with a female in full game face.

"I'm. Not. Gay," Anya gritted out. "You. Can't. Kiss. Me, dammit!"

She managed to stick an elbow in the vamp's gut, then pushed the creature back onto Angel's outheld stake.

"Your minions aren't doing so hot," Buffy taunted Hank as they continued to circle.

"What can I say?" he shrugged. "They just don't make minions like they used to."

With that, the vampire gave a vicious kick. Buffy leapt out of the way, overbalanced and fell.

"That all you've got?" Hank wondered. "They told me you were good."

He bent down and got a faceful of Buffy's boot.

"They knew to stay out of my face," she said as she jumped to her feet. "So is that all you've got? Gotta say, I'm not too impressed, so far."

"Oh, but we've only just begun."

Quick as lightning, he grabbed Buffy. Her legs kicked wildly against thin air as his arm squeezed against her windpipe.

*****

"No...wait..." Willow gasped. Her hands began to push Julia's head away. "I...I can't do this!"

Julia sat up and sighed in frustration.

"Do you or don't you want this?" she demanded. "Don't you want the power of your spells to increase? Don't you want to be able to make the universe do your bidding at will?"

"Y-yes, I guess so. I mean, I do, but I'm not sure I want to do it like this. Tara would be really hurt. She wouldn't understand."

"And you're going to let the little woman hold you back? Is that it?"

"I don't want to cheat on her."

"I told you, it isn't cheating if it's for a spell."

"So...this is a spell?"

"Yes. A spell. I wouldn't otherwise, 'cause of your girlfriend."

"Oh. Okay." Willow scrunched up her face in confusion. "What spell? I mean, what were you trying to do?"

"I can't tell you or the spell won't work," Julia explained patiently. "You know sometimes that's how it works."

"So...you were doing a spell...on me...with me?"

"You got it. See, I knew you'd understand. Trust me. I can't tell you the details until I've finished, but you're going to love this. It's a good thing, I promise." She moved to kiss the redhead's throat as she continued to whisper soft assurances. "I'm going to do something for you that nobody's ever done before. And by the time I'm done, you're gonna own this town, and probably half the state...unless you want more."

"Wh-what do I have to - oh, that's nice - do?"

"Lie back and enjoy it."

Willow followed instructions.

*****

Giles heard the fight before he saw it.

"Quickly," he told Xander and Gertrude, "draw your weapons and be prepared to kill anything with brow ridges."

"Uh, Giles, what about - and I'm kicking myself as I say thing - what if it's Angel?" Xander reminded his friend. "He's probably on our side."

"You have a vampire on your side?" Gertrude demanded.

"Occasionally two," Giles said distractedly. "But that's not important right now. Buffy's in trouble. I can tell."

With that, he raced forward into the night. With fierce cries, Xander and Gertrude followed.

Hank tightened his grip on Buffy.

"Sounds like your white knight is here to save the day," he sneered. "But he's a little too late."

The Slayer struggled to stay conscious. She put all her energy into trying to ease the pressure of the arm against her throat. If she could just manage to stay alive a few more seconds, Giles would be there. Giles would help her.

If she could only stay alive.

*****

Willow had never felt so alive - so in tune with the universe. The pleasure coursing through her veins seemed to fill her with color and light and sensations far beyond anything she'd ever experienced before. The room seemed now purple, now orange at her whim. Julia's pointed tongue produced not only sexual pleasure, but music and the smell of cool spring rain as well.

Every sense expanded. Every thought exploded into light and sound and taste all at once. Her hands traveled over the sheets, but what they felt was wet earth and the roots of flowers. She held the Earth in her hands, hers to nurture or crush as she pleased.

With a cry of triumph, her orgasm was upon her.

She trembled. Tears leaked unbidden from her eyes. Then she was in Julia's arms, being rocked and comforted like a small child. She was afraid to open her eyes.

Still, she did.

The room still seemed to shimmer with a light not of this world.

"Wh-what did you do?" she asked breathlessly. "Is it going to be like this all the time?"

"Try something," Julia urged. "Do a spell."

"Oh...I dunno. I mean, sometimes my spells, they go...wonky. I'd better not do it here."

"Come on. Just a little one. That won't do any harm if it goes wrong."

Willow closed her eyes and intoned an incantation.

"Goddess Hecate, depart. Let the one who has suffered in thy name be restored."

Julia looked puzzled.

"That's what you call a small spell? Who did you just return from the Wild Kingdom?"

"It probably didn't do anything. I've been trying for almost two years, and nothing's worked yet. So if it doesn't, I'm not disappointed. And her name's Amy. She's been a rat. Long story."

"Amy? You don't mean Amy Madison?"

"Yeah. That's the one. She's been doing the Habitrail thing for a while. I'd sort of like to fix that. It's not much of a life."

*****

Miss Kitty raced from the room, spitting in protest as she careened down the stairs. Despite her quick reflexes, there was a shard of transparent orange plastic stuck in her tail.

Tara sat up in bed, turned on the light, and blinked in surprise. There was a naked girl sitting among the remains of Amyrat's Habitrail. She smiled at Tara with a nervous twitch of her nose.

"Hello. Um...could you tell me where I am...and maybe find me some clothes?"

*****

Buffy could feel herself slipping. Part of her almost wanted to simply let go. It would be easy. It would be over. No more pain. No more struggle. Her fingers grew clumsy. Her arms dropped limply to her sides.

Oblivion drew near.

Suddenly, she was on the ground, choking with the sudden release of her windpipe.

"Buffy! Are you okay?"

She nodded, barely certain it was Xander's voice she'd heard.

"Good. Can you stand?"

"I think so," she croaked. Xander helped her climb unsteadily to her feet. "What are you doing here, Xand?"

"I can't say no to your husband."

"Rupert?"

"How many husbands you got, Buff?" She could hear the tremor of emotion in his voice. "Soon as he knew you were gone, he insisted we come find you."

"Daddy..."

"Your dad's dead. That vamp would have killed you if we hadn't gotten here when we did."

A sound became clear in Buffy's ears. Swordplay. A few yards away, she could see Giles fighting fiercely with the vampire that wore her father's face. Angel, Spike, Anya, and Gertrude all continued facing off against the minions bravely, but Buffy barely noticed them. Hank had always been strong and athletic in life. In unlife, he remained every bit as fit, but his strength, stamina, and technique had improved tremendously. He and Giles were frighteningly well matched.

If Hank had still been alive, Buffy would have watched the spectacle with interest and a mild uncertainty as to which to root for. In this case, however, there was no question. She grabbed a stake and ran at the beast.

Giles leapt back as the vampire lunged for him wildly. The monster laughed cruelly and lunged again. The sword was less than an inch from Giles when it began to crumble. In seconds the vampire was gone, revealing Buffy. Before he could react, she had fallen to her knees in the pile of dust.

"Daddy."

Her tearful whisper was barely audible, but it sounded louder in Giles' ears than a scream would have.

In the background, the final, scattered minions had run off into the night. The warriors gathered together. Xander pulled Anya into his arms. The other three headed to the spot where Hank had disintegrated.

"She alright, then?" Spike asked in an unusually hushed tone.

"What do you think?" Giles snapped. He cradled his wife in his arms as she wept bitterly. "Just...go away, Spike. I really don't want to fight with you tonight."

"Actually," Angel began, "he fought hard tonight. He was a real help."

"And when I want your opinion, I'll ask for it," Giles said in a quiet voice filled with threat.

The vampires wisely stepped back and got out of his way. Gertrude knelt beside him.

"Rupert," she said calmly, "we'd best get you and Buffy home. It's been a long night, and we don't want to be caught loitering out here with swords at this hour. It can't be good for the baby to be breathing in all this vampire dust, either. Come on, then. Get to your feet and we'll go home." She turned to the vampires. "You heard Rupert. I'd suggest you go away now."

Giles stood slowly, carrying Buffy in his arms. Gertrude followed a couple paces back, with Xander and Anya bringing up the rear, holding each other as tightly as they could manage while still walking. Spike and Angel watched them go.

"Well, that's torn it," Spike said at last. "Fancy a pint?"

"O Neg?"

"Is there anything else to drink? Well, that and Guinness."

"How about O Neg with a Guinness chaser?"

"Yeah, alright."

The two vampires slouched off into the night.

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