Bad Blood |BTVS| Book Two

Dead Man's Party

Hearing a banging noise I grabbed my jacket and walked into my mom's room where she and Buffy stood looking at a hole in the wall, both looking awkward and guilty "Nice. adds a touch of class to the room" I snigger as my mom gives me the eye.

She looks down at the mask in her hand and turns around to hang it on the wall over the hole. It's carved from a reddish wood with cutouts for eyes, which are slanted inward to appear very evil.

There is a series of long, pointed teeth with extra long fangs for incisors set into the upper lip, there is no lower jaw portion "Uh, look!" mom exclaims as she hangs the mask on its hook "It's, uh, Nigerian".

"We got a very exciting shipment in at the Gallery. I, um, thought I'd hang a few pieces in here. It cheers up the room," I raise my eyebrow at my mom's explanation of her artwork "It's angry at the room, Mom. It wants the room to suffer," I retort as my mom nods with a huff "You have no appreciation of primitive art,".

She looks over to Buffy apprehensively "You going out?" I look at my sister and noticed she was holding a sweater looking uneasy "Oh. Um... well, i-if it's okay. I, um... I'd like to find Willow and Xander".

Mom gives Buffy a small smile before she looks at me and notices I'm dressed to go out too "Oh no missy, you are not going out" my mouth drops open in shock "why the hell not?".

Mom sighs and crosses her arms "That's why, your sudden attitude and you've been rude to your sister ever since she came home," I breathed angrily feeling like I wanted to spit fire "Oh so she does a disappearing act and yet I'm in trouble?".

I put my hands on my hips as Mom and I stared each other down "Fine" I hissed giving Buffy a dirty look as I walk out of the room "Will you be slaying?" I heard Mom ask Buffy as I stood by the door where they couldn't see me.

"Only if they give me lip," Buffy says weakly "Well, then, um... You know, w-why don't I drive you?" Mom asked as I heard keys jangling "Uh, I mean, they could be anywhere,".

"Mom... if you don't want me to go, just say so. I could just say here a try to talk with Nikki," Buffy offered as my eyes widened "let her go!" I shouted hearing a sad sigh come from the other side of the door.

"Bedroom, Nikki" Mom ordered as I smirked walking to my room and shutting the door, putting my radio on loud enough Mom would know I wasn't in the mood to talk but not loud enough she would come in to turn it down.

Sliding my window up I jumped out and landed gracefully on the ground and walking away with a smirk knowing my mother wouldn't even know I was missing.

††††††

The gang is silent as they all stand outside Giles' apartment building "You know, I-maybe it's too late. Maybe we should just come back tomorrow" Buffy says, but no one makes a move to go. Buffy looks at the door, then back at the others "What if he's mad?" she whispered upset.

"Mad? Just because you ran away and abandoned your post and your friends, your sister who needed you. Made your mom, and him lay awake every night worrying about you?" Xander exclaimed before looking at Oz and Willow "Maybe we should wait out here,".

Buffy gives him a look as she turns around to face the door, reaches for the knocker and taps it a few times. Giles opens the door and sees Buffy standing there flanked by the others, his face remains expressionless for a long moment.

"Check it out. The Watcher is back on the clock," Xander awkwardly laughs as Giles slips on his glasses "And just when you were thinking career change, maybe becoming a... a looker or a... a seer,".

"Thank you, Xander" Giles mutter as he looks at Buffy "Welcome home, Buffy" Buffy smiles up at him as he pulls the door open further and steps back so they can all come in.