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Chapter 1: Viva Los London
"The funeral was - it was brutal." This was so true to Buffy. As a vampire slayer she could deal with apocalypses and demon threats, but her own mother's funeral was a whole different matter. Though having her former boyfriend, Angel, being here did make things a bit better. "But it's tomorrow that I'm worried about," she said with a feeling of dread.
"What's tomorrow?" asked the vampire with a soul.
"That's exactly what I don't know. Up until now I've had a roadmap. Things to do every minute...having to do with Mom."
"Tomorrow the stuff of everyday living resumes." Angel had a way of knowing exactly what Buffy was anxious about.
"And everybody expects me to know how to do it because I'm 'so strong'."
"You just need sometime. I'm sure everybody understands that."
"Times not the issue. I can stick wood in vampires but Mom was the strong one in real life. She always knew how to make things better, just what to say."
"You'll find your way. I mean not all at once, but-"
"I don't know. I keep thinking about it... When I found her. If I had just gotten there ten minutes earlier."
"You said they told you it wouldn't have made a difference."
"They said probably wouldn't have mad a difference. The exact thing they siad was 'probably'. I haven't told that to anyone."
"Doesn't make it your fault. Couldn't have done anything different."
"I didn't even start CPR until they told me. I fell apart." Buffy remembered the day she found Joyce lying on the couch. She yelled at her mother to get up as if it would help. Then she went and vomited on the carpet after it all. Some champion she was. "That's how good I am at being a grownup," she said to both herself and Angel.
"Buffy-"
"And it'd be okay if it was just me I had to worry about but Dawn..."
"It's okay. You don't feel like it now but you are strong. Buffy, you're gonna figure this out and you have people to help you. You don't have to do this alone."
Buffy knew he was right. But she didn't totally believe him. Sensing that morning was soon she weakly said, "It's gonna be light soon."
"I can stay in town as long as you want me."
She smiled her former lover's offer. What she really needed him to do was not stay, but go. And take her sister with him. "Actually," Buffy turned to face him, "I was hoping you could do me a big favor."
"Anything."
"Take Dawn back to LA with you tomorrow."
"Why?"
"Because I'm going to be spending a couple of weeks in London."
24 hours earlier
Giles could hear his slayer crying again. The last timeshe had broken down was when she couldn't find a proper outfit for Joyce's funeral tomorrow. 'She needs a break,' he said to himself. Suddenly an idea came to him. Giles ran to the kitchen phone and asked the overseas operater to connect him to the London Office of Paranormal Studies. Which was privatly known as the Talamasca.
"Front office to the Talamasca. How may I be of service?" the secratary asked.
"Yes, please connect me to David Talbot." Giles paised himself for keeping in touch with his old mate from Oxford.
"Just a moment please."
After a few seconds Giles heard David's voice come on, "This is David Talbot. How may I help you."
"David? It's Rupert Giles."
"Ripper? Ripper ol'boy, how have you been? Still watcher to that American slayer?"
"I'm doing quite well David, and yes, I'm still Buffy Summer's watcher."
"Well what can I do for you Ripper?"
"You see David, Buffy's mother resently passed away and I was hoping Buffy could stay with you in London for a couple of weeks. The girl needs a break from the Hellmouth."
There was a slight pause, then to Giles' delight David agreed, "Of course she can come Ripper. The board will be glad to know that a slayer is back in London. The last slayer that was stationed in England lived over a century ago." Giles thanked his friend again then hung up. He then hurried up to Buffy's room to give her the good news.
"London? Giles, you want me to go to London?" Buffy wasen't totally against the idea, but needless to say she was suprised when Giles came through her door saying that she was going on a vacation. To London no less.
"Buffy you are in deep need of a vacation. Your mother's death and this whole ordeal with Glory. You really should have some time to clear your head. Don't you agree?"
"Giles, whether I agree with you or not is not the point. What about Dawn...What about the Hellmouth? I'm needed here Giles."
"We can take care of both Dawn and the Hellmouth. You'll only be gone for a week or two."
Buffy thought about it for a several minutes. She was exausted and a trip to London would be nice. But Buffy also knew that the moment she left Sunnydale Glory could find out that Dawn was the Key. Then Buffy remembered that Angel was coming tonight after the funeral. "I could ask him to take her for a while," she said aloud.
"Who take who?"
"Angel take Dawn. Angel is coming later tonight, and I could ask him to take Dawn to Los Angelus while I'm away. He could protect her there, and Dawn would also be getting recovery time too."
"Splendid. I'll go arrange you airline ticket." With that Giles left Buffy to her thoughts. The slayer looked out her window then murmered to herself, "Viva Los London."
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