Research mode.

[lockless_key]

It feels weird, leading the group. Technically, I'm not leading, just walking ahead of everyone. And it's not really a group, just me and Willow and Faith. I don't really feel like making small talk with anyone. And Faith being here is kinda awkward. But still. I feel like I'm trying to be Buffy. Because if she was here, she'd be walking where I'm

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[anya_jenkins]

I poked my head out from the storage room. Dawn was here? Great. That meant everyone else would be arriving soon, because I knew she hadn't stopped by for a friendly chat.

"Dawn? Hang on, I'll be out in a minute." I finished putting a couple of boxes away, then went out to the main shop, wondering if the world was ending today. Again.

"Hey," I said, mustering as much enthusiasm as I could. "What's up?"

[bleedlikepoetry]

I come up into the basement and linger for a minute, all sorts of odds and ends down here, and...lookie here, what's a Summers family picture doin in this box? seems like the sorta thing you'd want to keep around the house, considering the state of things. Fancy frame and everything, looks like the kind you'd have hanging on the wall.

I pick it up and look over the three Summers women, looking so happy you could almost curse 'em for being so dense. Didn't they know things could only get worse? dozy bints. Damnit Buffy, why'd you have to go and desert like that? Like you're the only sorry slag to ever have troubles, right? Everything was always so hard on poor Buffy...

I growl and the picture frame makes a satisfying noise crashing 'gianst the cement, doesn't help me out one bit though. Could break that soddin' frame a thousand times and she'd still be gone, still be laying up in that bedroom attatched to all manner of machinery, like living death.

[isaidquirky]

After ending the phone conversation with Willow, I pretty much throw on the first half-decent clothes I can find, pull my hair back into a low ponytail, and head out the door towards the Magic Box.

The sun's brighter than it seems like it should be and I blink a few times before getting used to it. I walk quickly but not impatiently, kind of relishing the time to be alone in my head. The night before sparks so many thoughts about how my family is falling apart, whose fault it is, and how it can be fixed. It's Willow's fault for being irresponsible, Dawn's for being immature, and Buffy's and mine for leaving. I keep telling myself that I left for my own good, but what is my own good without theirs? But that's the kind of thinking that kept me in my father's house for so long. What makes this situation any different? And what makes me any different from Buffy? Well, except the fact that I have the strength, the callousness, to sit back and watch every day the effects of my decisions

[bythewillowtree]

I see Tara walk up the store, and hold myself back a little bit. I don't want to have to worry about having some awkward conversation with her alone. At least if I wait until I am in there with everyone else, someone will change the subject if things get too weird. Of course if Anya is there, she could just make the situation worse.

Once I see Tara walk into the door, I start walking quicker. I grab the door knob and twist it slightly, then pull the door open. Tara, Dawn, and Anya are standing in the middle of the room, and I smile at them.

"Hi, guys."

[oh_dear]

I stopped outside the magick box. I just didn't want to go in. Didn't want to hear again, how my..my..slayer was dead. But those inside still needed me.

"Get a grip Rupert." I sighed, and let myself in, the familiar ring of the bell greeted me.

"Hello?"

[lockless_key]

As I hear Giles' familiar voice, everything settles in. Everything will be okay now, or so it feels.

"Back here!" I call out, wanting to run into his arms but not wanting to leave the situation back here.

[oh_dear]

I made my way into the familiar room. The sights, the smells, it was all the same. I was home.

But something was wrong.

"Hi all," I said, the best I could, as I entered the back. "Miss me?" I tried to be funny, but didn't feel particularily humorus.

[his_firecracker]

I could feel the glare like daggers at my back. Jus' never bothered to turn 'round and see who they were comin' from. 'Cos hey! Truth be told, I still doubted any of these Scoobs wanted my ass here. I was jus' needed...partially, or wha'the-fuck-eva. Spike, though, I liked. I remembered him from somewhere. Where, though? Eyeing him, I ignored the lil' commotion goin' on f'half a second. My thoughts on riding at a gallop, eyes rolling and knees buckling was cut short due to some pompous lil' fucker comin' up in here like he's some god

[demon_dog_prom]

I eye her up and down.

"Oh. So you're the other one. I never actually thought that was true. I think I remember seeing you around the High School back in the day. Could be wrong."

I pause.

"Well, with a Slayer in town...maybe my assistance isn't needed."

I shrug in a faux motion of defeat.

"...of course, three dweeby kids put the last one down like they were turning out a light, so I think maybe we need to reevaluate the whole Slayer as the lone warrior thing against evil, don't you?"

[his_firecracker]

This lil' shit was eyeing me...ME!, up and down like he was sizin' me up! Ha fucking ha! Wha' a punk ass bitch. I'd put him six feet under and not even blink if I had to. "Cheah, I'm the other one." It totally bugged me when people referred to me as some no good second best. I wasn't second best. I was called 'cos Kendra died. Kendra was the accident Slayer. Not me. I wasn't an accident. I'm a god fucking prophecy

[demon_dog_prom]

How easily incited this group was and despite what the Slayer thought, I really wasn't trying to place myself above them OR start a tiff, I just new that since Rosenberg and the like knew me from the Prom incident, I would have to come and assert myself before they listened to me.

Sigh. It's never easy.

"Alright, we'll do it your way. You want to know what I know about the one who layed the smack down, as you call it, on Summers? I have all the info you need. He's my little brother."

I wait for this to sink in.

"...and for as dumb as he can be, he did anticipate retaliation from you people for wounding your leader, so he and his numbskull friends are already working on a spell to incapacitate you. But I really am not interested in seeing the Hellmouth's only line of defense get suddenly removed, no matter how trite and uppity it may be."

I glance at the Slayer.

"So I'm here to make sure their spell doesn't work."