Chapter 13 – Back to the Hellmouth
The phone is ringing. I'm so deeply asleep that it takes a finite time for me to realise that it is the phone, and I push out my hand to the table beside my bed to feel for it. I put it to my ear and mutter something that might approximate to my name before waiting to hear about the impending apocalypse. Because surely no one would be phoning me in the middle of the night for anything less.
It's Jenna. As soon as I hear her voice, my belief in an impending apocalypse becomes rather more real, and I sit up in bed and try to shake the befuddledness from my brain.
I hear the words but they don't make sense, so I ask for clarification.
"I'm sorry, Jenna. I'm still half asleep so I probably didn't hear you properly. I thought you said Buffy was coming back."
"That's exactly what I said. I got a message from the Coven a little while ago, and that's what I was told."
"The Coven? But... Does that mean...?"
"That they've been in Devon all this time? Yes."
"But you must be wrong. We haven't dealt with Blar yet – in fact, we don't even know where he is."
"But that's just it. It looks like he found them – that's why they're coming back."
"He found them? Are they ok? Did he...?"
"Giles, it sounds like they're fine. They should be here soon. I thought, maybe, you'd like to be here."
I make some sort of affirmative noise, but I honestly couldn't say what it was. I jump out of bed and reach for the nearest clothes. I'm dressed and out in my car in record time. As I drive through the almost deserted streets of Sunnydale, I think about Buffy. I've missed her more than I realised. It's been worse than when I was in England . Somehow, that seemed natural, and I could picture her in Sunnydale. The way it's been this time – well, let's just say that Sunnydale without her is wrong.
Xander's car is already parked outside the familiar house in Revello Drive, and the door opens before I get the chance to knock.
"Top of the morning, to you," Xander quips. "Looks like we managed to beat them to it. Jenna's just waiting to hear that they're on their way."
"They're teleporting, I assume."
"Yup. And it's not the first time they did it."
"The Coven is extremely powerful," I comment.
"Gives me the shivers," he mutters, looking slightly sick.
"Anya does it," I remind him.
"And she's done it with me in tow. I've got good reasons for shivering."
Willow comes downstairs then. By the look of her she's just out of bed too, but Jenna, when she emerges from the kitchen, looks quite fresh.
"I've put on some coffee," she explains. "They should be here soon, but I'll get a few moments warning."
"Where?" I ask.
"Behind the house is what I suggested. I'll go out there to act as a beacon, and it'll be easier to do it there than into a building."
"Is everything ready... upstairs?"
Willow answers. "We moved a lot of the nursery things into Buffy's room when she went – with Jenna and me here it made more sense. But Buffy's room is usable even with the extra things. We can sort everything else out later."
"I'm going straight back to Devon," Jenna says quietly.
"What? But... you can't," Willow argues. "I still need you."
"No you don't. Willow, you're as ok as you can be. And the Coven needs me. They're expecting another attack as soon as it's dark. I've got to go. If... I'd appreciate it if you'd send on my things, you know, once I'm back there."
"Of course," Willow answers. "Is there anything we can do, you know, for the Coven?"
"You're needed here, Willow. Whatever power you have will probably be tested in the near future."
"I know, but..."
"And when this is all over, it'd be great if you could come and visit."
"Thanks, I'd like that," Willow agrees, hugging Jenna.
Not wanting to upset the others, I don't ask what's worrying Jenna so badly. Willow must be picking up on it too, with her enhanced sensitivities, but I'm almost certain that Jenna's more worried than she's trying to seem. I glance at Xander, but it's obvious that he's not thinking beyond the fact that Buffy's coming back. Sometimes I envy him his ability to home in on what's important to him and ignore the bigger picture.
Jenna seems to be staring off into the distance, and there's a reverent hush before she smiles.
"They're ready. I'll just go outside..."
And of course, she's not the only one who goes outside. We all follow, and I feel rather like a sheep.
It's a strange scene. Willow, Xander and I stand with our backs to the house, while Jenna faces us. It's dark, with just the light spilling from the windows to illuminate the scene, but it's enough to see that Jenna has her eyes closed. I don't feel anything directly, but by the way Willow tenses, I suspect she does, and then, without any apparent fuss, they're there - Buffy and Spike, and their daughter.
Willow and Xander spring forward, both talking so fast it's virtually incomprehensible, but I hold back. I'll get my chance to welcome them, but first, I need to talk to Jenna.
She moved away from the others as soon as they arrived. It could be she was just overwhelmed by the welcome Willow and Xander were giving the new arrivals, but I think it's more than that.
"Are you ok?" I ask.
She's watching the others, and I don't even think she saw me approaching, judging by the slight start she gives as she turns to face me.
"Y... yes. I'm fine."
"You're worried, though."
"Yes. The message... it was designed not to alarm me unnecessarily, but that just worries me more. Whatever they're expecting, it'll be bad."
"If I can help..."
She puts a hand on my shoulder. "I know. But right now, they're your priority. If that baby doesn't survive to become the teenager who saves us all..."
"You're right, of course. But the offer still stands. If I can help without jeopardising anything here, then I will."
"Thank you."
Her eyes drift back to the others, and I follow her gaze.
"Did you want to say 'goodbye'?" I ask.
"It's probably better if I just go," she answers. "I'm going to miss you all."
"As we'll miss you."
She holds out her arms to me, and I hug her, feeling her fear like something physical. We separate, and she takes a few steps away from me before closing her eyes. A moment later, she's gone.
As I turn back to the assembled group, Buffy's looking at me, waiting for me to approach. Zara is in Willow's arms, and Xander's making strange noises at the poor child. Neither of them has noticed that Jenna's gone, and well, perhaps Buffy didn't even realise she was here.
Spike's standing just behind Buffy, an arm around her possessively, but I approach anyway. Whatever they share shouldn't change how I feel about Buffy, and I'm determined not to let anything happen in that direction.
"Welcome back, Buffy," I say, my voice surprisingly even. The sight of her is almost enough to put a lump in my throat.
"Giles!" she says, jumping forward to hug me. Just as I'm about to point out that she's in danger of cracking a few of my ribs, I hear Spike's voice.
"Easy there, Buffy. Watcher's only human."
She lets go of me, flashing me an apologetic grin.
"Don't worry," I tell her. "A welcome from you wouldn't be complete without a bruise or two. You look well."
"I am," she agrees. "But... maybe we should go inside."
"Of course, I agree.
Buffy turns to check on her daughter, but it seems Willow was following the conversation as she's moving towards the door already.
I notice that Buffy almost tries to take Zara back before Willow reaches the steps, but holds back. She notices me noticing, and smiles back. Oddly, I get the impression that it's similar to all those times I had to send Buffy out to battle ridiculous odds when my conscience was telling me to leave her at home and do it myself. It's easy to be overprotective of those we love.
Once inside, the priority becomes a question of Buffy getting Zara settled. She and Spike go upstairs to find what they need, returning some time later with the listening half of a baby alarm in hand.
"Looks like the first priority will be a trip to the mall," she comments, flopping onto a sofa and pulling Spike down after her. "She's grown out of pretty much everything I bought before she was born. There's just a couple of things that still fit – remember that day I got really depressed about my size and decided she was going to be super-sized too? Well, the two onesies I bought that day still fit. Just. Providing I only do up one of the poppers."
"So," she goes on, looking around us all. "What's been happening here?"