Unknown Factors (Book One)

Ch.28: And anticipating

    Going on patrol with the rest of the Scoobies for Buffy was a little hectic, especially since the vampires were former bodybuilders and the guys were just humans. However, Willow managed to take one out, and when Pops tried to stake the one that had Xander pinned, he almost staked Xander instead. Willow also took that one out while I was staking the vampires I was fighting.

  "Oh, my God. What a rough night." Pops sounded exhausted.

  "I dusted two of 'em!" Willow was waving her hands excitedly. "Yay on me!" She was smiling. "That was pretty cool, except the part where I was all terrified, and now my knees are all dizzy."

  "Good job, Willow." I high-fived her, and Pops bent over.

  "Whoa." Giles picked up his dirty glasses from the ground.

  "Not so much a big success night for me, but I think I should get points just for showing up, unlike some Riley Finn who shall remain unnamed." Xander said as we were walking.

  "Yes, that was disappointing. Things would've been easier if he'd been here." Pops looked around.

  "Thanks, Pops." I gave him a look while crossing my arms.

  "Oh, piffle!" Willow waved a hand. "Who needs him when we got Aud, and I'm dustin' two at a ti-" Willow's knees gave, and Xander and Pops managed to catch her before she fell. "Whoops. Maybe it would've been good if he had showed up."

  "Perhaps he forgot."

  "Sorry, I was busy with other bloodsuckers." I said while bending my knees with my back to Willow. "Hop on, I'll carry you."

  "Are you sure?" Willow asked.

  "I'm half-demon, of course, I'm sure. You probably weigh so little it'll be like lifting a child's book." Looking over my shoulder, Willow was helped onto my back by Xander and Pops. When I stood up all the way, I grabbed the back of her knees while her arms went around my neck. "See, you're like a book....but human."

~

  After I had talked to Buffy about her current situation with her mom, we had come to the conclusion that I'd be staying with the Summers until everything was back to normal. So, while Buffy and Dawn were at the hospital with Joyce, I was at their place.

  I was getting comfortable in the house while listening to music and cleaning the Summers home. Since they hadn't really been there in a while, the place was starting to look less than like it had when Joyce was there. Plus, I thought it would be nice if they got to come home to a clean house and home-cooked meals rather than hospital food and take-out.

  Pops was cool with the whole thing, and since the Summers had a spare room, I'd be sleeping on a bed instead of a couch. So I guess that was also a perk. Not to mention, with me being here, no one could rob the place while the Summers girls were gone.

  "I'm like a demonic guard dog." I scoffed and shook my head while dusting the mantle. Later, when it was dark outside, Buffy called me from the hospital saying she would be coming home and she was bringing Joyce with her. I got a little excited, so I just couldn't sit around and wait for them- I had to move around and pace in the living room.

  "Here we go." I heard Buffy's voice as the front door opened.

  "Oh, it's nice to be home." Joyce sighed.

  "Do you want to go to bed, mom?" Dawn asked as Buffy turned on a light.

  "Oh! Buffy, no. That light, it's too bright." Walking toward them, I sort of smiled seeing Joyce looking better than she had in the hospital. "It's too bright. It's too bright."