College Girl (Book Four, BTVS)

chapter 11 - Doomed

There was an earthquake that only lasted for a few seconds.

Willow and I walked into the dorm room to see Buffy.

"Hey," Willow told her. "We were in the library during the quake. Almost got buried in some 19th century literature. And we don't have to tell you how hard it is to dig through some of that stuff."

I looked at Buffy. "You okay?"

Buffy nodded. "Yeah. Uh, a couple of broken knickknacks, but no biggies."

"Well, Porter dorm is completely blacked out, so naturally they're dealing the the crisis the only way they know how," Willow told us. "'Aftershock party'."

"Ah, this from the dorm that brought us the 'somebody sneezed party' and the 'day that ends in 'Y' party'," I told them.

"They do seem to be pretty generous with the milestones," Willow told her. "You should ask Riley to come. Much carousing by flattering candlelight."

Buffy and I exchanged a look.

"Um, Riley's, um, busy, I'm pretty sure," Buffy told us. "But you know, you go on ahead, and I'll catch up with you there. I'm on my way to Giles'."

"Okay," Willow told us, walking out, leaving, closing the door behind her.

I looked at Buffy. "Why didn't you tell her?"

"Because I'm not sure on what's left to say," Buffy answered.

"Riley's one of the commando guys," I told her. "I'm pretty sure we know what to say." Buffy sighed. "What about Riley?"

"Uh, he knows that I'm a Slayer, but he doesn't know what a Slayer is," Buffy answered. "And we both agreed it might be a good idea for both of us to get some time and space to process everything. But we really need to talk to Giles." I sighed, nodding. Buffy realized I didn't ask why. "You felt it, too, didn't you?"

I nodded.

~~~~   

Buffy and I were talking to Giles in the courtyard outside of his apartment.

"Something horrible's going to happen, Giles," I told him.

"It was an earthquake," Giles told us. "A not uncommon occurrence in southern California. No reason to think it was anything more."

"Oh, we so have a reason," Buffy told him. "A darn good reason. The last time we had an earthquake, I died."

"Yes, I know that," Giles told her. He looked at me. "And therefore, I completely understand Buffy's anxiety, but not yours."

"Oh, boy, I'd hate for my little anxiety attack to concern you ambiguously," I told him sarcastically, sitting down on the edge of the fountain.

"But unless evidence suggests otherwise, I think we can assume that it's shifting land masses and not a portent of some imminent doom," Giles told us. "In the meantime, I've got a few theories about our mysterious commando friends." 

I looked at Buffy.

Buffy looked at Giles. "Oh. Really?"

"Yes," Giles answered. Buffy and I were having a silent argument behind Giles' back about whether or not we should have told Giles about Riley. "Now, based on the locations of our various sightings and Spike's reluctant description of their underground installation--"

Buffy looked at Giles. "What if the quake was a sign? A bad omen, and we just ignore it? There's gonna be a lot of red faces when the world comes to an end."