The Cafe Nervosa was indeed not that far from the station, but as it was now rush hour traffic they didn't get there until a little before sundown. Giles dropped Buffy off a bit before the store, saying as she stepped out of the car, "Now, you are aware of what our quarry looks like, right?"
"Well," Buffy answered, "I studied his picture for half the flight, I've got his physical description burned into my brain, and thanks to Willow's downloading a portion of his radio show I even know what he sounds like. So I don't think he'll be slipping past me." Then she looked behind her suddenly. As Giles regarded her quizzically, the Slayer muttered, "I don't know. The way things have been going recently I halfway expected him to be walking right behind me as I boasted. You know – sitcom logic."
"Our lives are quite troublesome enough," Giles said, "without being burdened with having to live under the logic of American television." Then Buffy slammed the door and Giles pulled off down the street towards a nearby parking garage.
Café Nervosa was a pleasant-enough looking place; Starbucks without the snooty clerks or the sweatshirts. Buffy walked from front to back scanning it, but Frasier Crane was nowhere to be seen.
But when she got to the back, she saw him – back towards the front of the Café, of course, talking to a woman with dark red hair as they were both heading for the exit. She hurried to catch up to him, but he was outside by the time she got there.
“All I’m saying, Frasier, is we just got rehired a week ago,” the woman said. “It’s not exactly the time to go rocking the boat.”
“Having a child really has changed you, Roz, Rocking boats used to be your stock in trade.” Dr. Crane said. “And I’m not just talking about all the sailors you bedded.”
“Ha. Ha.” Roz said. “There couldn’t have been more than a couple.” Frasier glared at her. “Dozen,” she finally admitted.
Buffy caught up to them from behind as they walked past an alley right as Giles got there.
“Are you Frasier Crane?” Giles asked.
“Yes, he is,” Roz said, stepping in front of the psychiatrist and extending her hand. “And I’m Roz. Nice to meet you.” Her voice had changed, becoming almost sultry.
“I stand corrected,” Dr. Crane said. “You haven’t changed a bit.” Then, as Buffy ran out in front of him, he said, “Oh, hello. Yes, I am Dr. Frasier Crane, and I’m always happy to sign autographs –“
“We don’t want your autograph,” Buffy said.
“Oh,” he said, clearly deflated.
“You haven’t changed a bit either,” Roz mocked.
“Right. Anyway, what do you want?”
“We’re looking for the whereabouts of someone of your acquaintance,” Giles said.
Buffy felt something down the alley. She hadn’t used her “spider-sense” in so long it was rusty as an old can, but there was definitely something there. A pair of somethings. “Giles –“ she said urgently. “There’s a couple down the alley –“
Everyone’s head swung. Giles said, “Are you sure?” Buffy nodded. “Then go.”
“Wait a second,” Dr. Crane said. “You said you needed to find someone –“ and he stepped into Buffy’s path.
Buffy didn’t hesitate. She elbowed her way past the man – he brushed the wall – and charged down the alley. Giles was maybe twenty feet behind her. She rounded the corner –
And found herself face to face with two of the largest vampires she’d ever seen. They could have moonlighted as pro wrestlers, and right now, they were using their muscle to menace a couple of Café Nervosa employees bringing out the trash.
She didn’t stop to quip; she plowed into the nearer one at full speed, knocking him into the garbage cans. Behind her, she could hear Giles telling the employees to go inside, who didn’t need to be told twice. The other vampire turned to her and said, “Slayer. A bit outside your normal jurisdiction, aren’t you?”
“What can I say?” Buffy said. “I’ve developed this urge to see the world.” She threw a punch, which the vampire dodged, then spun and kicked the other one in the head as Giles shouted a warning.
“Joe!” the first vampire said. “Take care of the Watcher. I’ll handle little miss wanderlust here.” Great, just what she needed, vampires with brains in their head. They hadn’t packed their crossbows, but Buffy did have a stake with her and drew it. “Ooh, am I supposed to be intimidated?” the vampire said.
“It’d help,” Buffy said. “But it’s not really necessary.” It was as long a battle as she’d feared, and by the time she finally slammed him against the wall and turned him into dust, Joe had Giles pinned. When he saw that Buffy had killed his friend, he leapt off Giles and bolted.
“You okay?” Buffy asked her Watcher.
“Fine,” Giles gasped. “Go get him.”
Taking him at his word, Buffy sped off down the alley – and narrowly avoided getting a manhole cover in the face as she turned the corner. It missed her head by inches. The vampire cursed and ran, but instead of heading towards the street – which he couldn’t do, it being daylight – he doubled back and tried to jump over Buffy.
A nice move, but Joe wasn’t quite quick enough. Buffy grabbed his ankle – the momentum carried her backwards but she didn’t let go – and the vampire smacked facedown into the alley’s pavement. Buffy got up before the vampire could and staked him. Then she went back to meet Giles.
“Did you ?” Giles said as soon as she got there.
Buffy nodded. “I did. Damn their timing, though.”
“Yes. I’d wager Frasier Crane and his companion aren’t going to be anywhere in the vicinity when we get back out . . .” Giles took a couple of steps forward and swayed dizzily.
Buffy ran up to support him. “What’s wrong?”
“The blows to my head must have been worse than I thought,“ he said.
“Yeah,” Buffy said. “I figured as much. Come on, we gotta get you to the hospital.”
“But Maris Crane –“
“Can wait,” Buffy said firmly. “This is her home, this is where her ties are. She’s not going anywhere.”
“Alright,” Giles said. “But why did it have to be a head injury?” They walked all the way back to the garage, where Giles VERY reluctantly handed Buffy the keys to the truck.
“You know, you’re right,” Buffy said as she backed out. “I think it’s time you started wearing football helmets when you join me on patrol.”
Giles gave her a look that could have burned holes in steel; wisely, Buffy said nothing the rest of the trip.
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