Buffy heard fluttering. Her memory came back to her and she decided that the fluttering was a bird overhead. Suddenly realizing she was no longer facedown in the mud, she tried to open her eyes.
It was incredibly difficult. She managed to open them a bit, but all she saw when she did was more black. Blinking several times to regain her focus and maybe see something, she noticed that the black seemed to have a material look to it. In an attempt to decide what it was, she tried to raise her head.
She inhaled sharply in pain and decided that maybe lying still would be the best course of action.
***
The sudden noise coming from the couch got Angel’s attention quite well. “Buffy?” he muttered hopefully and got up to sit with her.
“Hey, what’s Undeaddy Freddy doing?” Xander asked the rest of the gang quietly enough so Angel couldn’t hear. “I don’t think the Buffster’s got any information for us right now, judging by the way she’s unconscious.”
“She stirred,” Angel provided, making Xander jump. “Also, there seems to be a slight change in her demeanor. She might be awake, but very weak.” He turned his head slightly so he could glare at Xander effectively. “And don’t call me that.”
“Vampears,” Xander started, annoyed, but went no further.
Giles and Willow both resisted smiles and went to join Angel by Buffy’s side. “Buffy. Are you awake? Can you hear me?” Giles said loudly.
There was complete silence from Buffy. Angel reconsidered his observance of Buffy’s stir and looked slightly apologetically at Giles. Giles smiled indifferently and returned to his pile of books. Willow did the same after a bit more reluctance. Angel started to get up as well when Buffy whispered very quietly, “I can hear…”
Angel looked about to see if anyone else had heard this. Again, it appeared as through he was the only one with the ears good enough to hear her. He sat again, took Buffy’s hand and whispered at the same level at which she spoke that he was here. Ever so slightly, she seemed to tighten her grip on Angel’s hand. He stroked her hair lightly and repeated that he’d always be there.
Xander noticed that Angel’s lips were moving, but he wasn’t saying anything. “Hey, Angel. We get that you’re concerned about Buffy. We all are. But the faster we find this creature, the faster we can go about killing it, so why don’t you lend us a hand?”
Angel held back the retort that immediately came to mind and whispered to Buffy that he’d be right there. He kissed her forehead and returned to the stack of books that had considerably lessened now that Willow, Xander and Oz were here.
Oz hadn’t done much, actually. He was just sort of staring contemplatively like he often did, only with more intensity. Willow noticed this too and took Oz’s hand. “You okay in there?” she said with concern.
Oz blinked a few times to bring himself out of his stupor. He half-smiled at Willow and patted her hand reassuringly. “I’m fine. It’s just… I smelled something on the walk over. I can’t place it, but I’m certain I didn’t like it.” He gave his head a little shake and added without conviction, “But I’m sure it’s nothing.”
Giles got up to pour himself another cup of tea and looked at Oz curiously. “Perhaps you’re right, but there’s no harm in considering it. Can you… describe the smell?”
Oz shook his head lightly. “I’m not sure I can. I think that’s why it’s bothering me so much. I’ve never smelled anything like it before. It was a rank smell, but it wasn’t something you’d notice unless you were really looking for it.”
Xander looked up from his book. “You weren’t really looking for it. Unless you were, which would lead me to the conclusion that you know something we don’t.”
Oz half-smiled again and said simply, “Residual werewolf ability.” Comprehension struck Xander and he nodded and returned to the book.
Giles came back and sat down. “Are you certain there’s nothing you could provide? No feature that you could pinpoint instantly?”
Oz shrugged half-heartedly and said, “I guess it was sort of metallic. The kind of thing you’d smell if you had your tongue stuck to a metal handrail. Other than that, I can’t really… what?”
Oz saw the faraway look in Giles’ eyes that he got when something clicked. This was another detail that seemed dreadfully familiar to Giles. He knew he’d read it somewhere so very recently, but Willow had finished her pile and Oz’s, Xander was nearly finished, his own pile was gone and Angel was just closing the final book he had in his. There was absolutely no mention of any demon with these qualities mentioned in any of the books, and Buffy was still remarkably unconscious. None of it made sense. Then again, things very rarely do when one lives on a Hellmouth.
***
Once Angel left her side, Buffy faded into sleep. A dream started when she woke again to the sound of Oz and Giles talking. Something about what Oz said, what Buffy saw and the dream that had barely begun all together made sense to her. She made the connection in her mind but was unable to say anything. Some incredible pain coming from her shoulder suddenly overcame her and she fell unconscious again.
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