Right Time, Wrong Place

[queencor]

So I got pulled back to present time, thank god for that. But somehow, I managed to lose Buffy and Anya in the process. Which is distressing. It's really bothering me. It's one thing for me to send a letter through time and hope that the giant brains in Sunny D come up with a way to get us back from where they know we are, it's an entirely

Comments

[_rayne]

I glance at Cordelia as she stops the car in front of the slayer's house. Lovely, the place I've been avoiding like the plague. At least my nose has stopped bleeding and is now merely swelling to twice its normal size.

"Well, lead the way," I say, stepping out of the car.

[queencor]

I get along behind him just to make sure he doesn't try something stupid like make a break for it. "March." I command, and head up the front steps with him. I knock before opening the door. "Hey! Anyone home? I've got a weasel with a lot of explaining to do here!" I call into the house.

[_rayne]

I roll my eyes at the 'weasel' remark. "Oh please, I've been tirelessly working to get everyone back ever since I learned the spell sent you all time traveling. Successfully in your case--and what do I get for my trouble? Bad attitude and accusations. I should have just left t--"

I break off as we reach the porch and the door opens.

[resurrected_b]

I hear the knock from the dining room, aka research central, and just about have my hand on the knob to open the door, when it swings open and there's Cordy, shouting about a weasel. I peek around the door to see Ethan Rayne standing behind her looking decidedly weasel-y. And guilty of something.

"No need to shout, we're all right here," I say, nodding to the others hunched over the magic books. "And may I say 'Whew!' and where the hell have you been the last five days? I just about freaked when Anya and I got back and you didn't." I give her a quick hug and step back. "Well, come on in and join the party." I turn to the others in the dining room. "You can stop looking for Cordy, anyway."

[_rayne]

I already know Cordelia has a wicked right hook, and I'm not thrilled by the look on the slayer's face. But she hasn't started punching yet, so perhaps she's willing to listen to reason. It could happen.

"Now, now, ladies, you're blowing this all out of proportion." I produce the letter from Zabuto--so alright, he sounds like a raving maniac in it, but it does clearly state him requesting that I deliver the package for hire, without alluding to what it might be. The check had long since been cashed so I had no record on me of the rather handsome sum he'd paid me to do it--that would have put things in an awkward light.

"He said he was a former colleague of Ripper's--how was I to know he bore him or Buffy some grudge? I had no idea what would happen until the bloody spell went off...and I was as clueless as everyone else until Faith told me they'd gone time traveling. She said she knew because one of you had the brilliant idea of sending a letter?"

[queencor]

"Flattery isn't going to get you anywhere, pal." I snap. "And again, you just happened to bring it. Right." I look at Buffy. "Want to start the hitting now? I think he's decided we're stupid."

[resurrected_b]

I really do pretty much want to start hitting him. He'd have to be an idiot not to think that thing was some sort of magical whatsit. "So you don't know what the magic time bomb is, but you just drop it on us anyway...what, thinking it would be funny? Like the oh so funny time you turned Giles into a demon? I thought you two were supposed to be friends, and you zap him off to who knows where--" I give him a swift punch in the gut on Giles' behalf.

[_rayne]

I double over with a groan, even though it's apparent to me she didn't put her whole strength into it. Meaning she probably wants something.

"I can help find the others," I grunt out. "Made a time map, that's how we pinpointed where you were. Took me a bloody long time to figure out how to do it, too."