Second Verse, Weird as the First
Buffy whistled as she made coffee. Oz was still asleep in his sleeping bag on the floor, pillow over his head. One nice thing about being a Slayer, she didn't need a lot of sleep.
Rupert paused outside of his kitchen and sighed before making his bleary way to the sink. He filled the kettle, thinking fondly back on the days when his mornings were solitary and calming.
Now he had to edge around a strangely-chipper Slayer to put the kettle on. "Good morning," he said.
Upstairs in the guest room, Jessie placed the journal she'd written her letter to Giles within one of the deep cargo pockets in her pants. She wanted to keep it with her at all times.
"Morning," Buffy said. "I saw that red-haired vamp, the one nutcase upstairs talked about last night. I really hope she's not expecting whacked out Willow vamp to help."
Rupert sighed. "Presumably, in her world, she's not a vampire." Which would have been - well, no point in dwelling. But Willow was a rather terrifying vampire, and with Xander...he knew sooner or later that situation would come to a head. "Did she have anything interesting to say? The vampire, not - her." He gestured to the ceiling.
Jessie could here commotion downstairs in the kitchen. Taking a deep breath, she opened the door and slowly descended the stairs.
"She offered me a good time, does that count for interesting? Oz offered to take her out on a date tonight," Buffy said with a grin, pouring herself a cup of coffee.
"Lovely." Rupert pulled down the box of Weetabix and a bowl. "Sooner or later they'll come up with another plan, since you shut down the factory."
Jessie hesitated before entering the kitchen. "S-sorry... don't mean to interrupt," she said softly, hovering in the door frame.
"Morning... Jess, right? Coffee is made and tea on the boil," Buffy said. "As for skanky vamp Willow, I just want a change to take her out. She's too damned fast."
"Yes, she's rather quick," Rupert agreed. He turned Jessie and smiled slightly. "Good morning. Would you rather tea or coffee? I'm afraid all I've got is cold cereal..."
"Just coffee, thank you," said Jessie.
"Hey, Oz-man, coffee!" Buffy called. "So how do we get tall and lanky here back to Kansas?"
"I've called a friend, he's bringing some books that should give me a better idea of how to return you to your home," Rupert said, still addressing Jessie. He poured her a mug of coffee and handed it over.
Jessie took the coffee with a nod, trying not to really look at him. She gave Buffy a sideways glance. She was nothing like the Buffy she'd known. “I appreciate that," Jessie said. "I'm sure you don't want me underfoot anymore than I want to be here."
"If you're a Slayer we could use all the help we could get," Buffy said with a shrug. "Sunnydale is lost, LA and San Fran are on the ropes, New York is losing parts of the city block by block."
Rupert sighed. "And it seems that...things are crawling out of the Sutro ruins in San Francisco. I'd wager the city hasn't got long."
Jessie sipped her coffee, surprised by their talk. It sounded as if they finally believed her. Or at least, they were open to the idea of believing her. "I am a Slayer, and... I'll help in anyway I can. That's my duty as a Slayer... but I do want to return home as soon as possible."
"Any help would be greatly appreciated," Rupert said.
Oz sat up and stretched. "Could she patrol with Buff tonight? I'm out of action for three nights."
"Off of patrol, you're never out of action, Oz-man," Buffy said, grinning at the young man. "Good thing you like spiky hair."
Jessie glanced over at Oz. "So in this reality, you're still a werewolf. Something is the same then, I guess," she said, half amused.
Oz frowned. "Still? I'm a werewolf in other universes? Hope things are better over there. Pour me some coffee, Buff. I'll be right back."
"Seems likely that many things would be similar," Rupert said thoughtfully.
"Do NOT start pondering that or at least do in the living room while I make breakfast. I got eggs, bacon and hash browns."
"I figured since we had guests and Oz burned your pot cooking Top Ramen noodles," Buffy said and then lost her smile. "I remember some stuff. Mom...."
"Giles is a wonderful cook," Jessie said softly, mostly to herself in remembrance.
Rupert looked startled for a second, before glancing to Buffy. He had a momentary impulse to put his hand on his shoulder, but he'd probably lose it. "Thank you, Buffy," he said quietly.
The Watcher gestured for Jessie to precede him out of the kitchen, into the living room. "We'll leave you to your culinary adventures...hopefully none of which will involve Top Ramen."
Jessie finished her coffee and then stood up to follow Giles out of the room.
"So, I can assume this world is...very different from your own?" Rupert asked, when they were seated in the living room.
"Besides the fact that the sky is still up, yeah, pretty much," Jessie answered.
"Ah," Rupert said. "Uh, if you'd rather not talk about it..."
Jessie shrugged. "No, that's okay. It's probably important for you to know... I understand."
"I have to admit I am curious...the Hellmouth didn't open in your world?" Rupert asked. "Why not?"
"Because you and Buffy and Willow... all of you stopped it." Jessie looked him right in the eyes then, so he'd know she was serious, even though it was painful for her to do so.
Rupert stared at her for a moment. "Buffy was...here, then," he said slowly. God, could that have been it? Could it have been that easy?
"I heard that," Buffy said. "Breakfast is ready. I'll get Oz out of the shower." She stepped into the living room. "It's not my fault! I couldn't leave LA. I'll.... I'll get Oz."
"The Master tried, back in that Sunnydale. He even... killed Buffy, or tried to. Xander performed CPR and brought her back. Then you all worked together and won. You always worked as a team, and won," Jessie said. "It was never easy though."
Rupert closed his eyes and pinched the bridge of his nose. It was so simple. "I told them," he muttered. "I told the bloody idiots!" He slammed his mug down on a side table, sloshing his hand with hot tea, then stood up and began to pace.
Buffy hesitated at the stairs. "You told them what? What didn't they tell me? The Council knew I couldn't travel except in an emergency."
Without thinking, Jessie stood and reached for Giles' hand, taking it gently in hers. "You've burned yourself!"
"I told them!" Rupert ground his teeth, though he didn't pull his hand away from Jessie. "If they'd, for one instant..." Good God, it was impossible - the thought that it didn't have to be this way.
Jessie realized what she was doing, but she didn't let go of his hand. She looked at him, and then at Buffy, and felt so terrible for them both. "Let me get some ice for your hand," she said softly. Then she looked at him again,
"It's not too late. Buffy is here now. You've Oz... it's not too late." She then went to get him some ice.
Rupert dragged in a slow breath and looked at Buffy. "They didn't tell you," he said firmly, looking the Slayer in the eyes. "It's not your fault."
"I.... I need to see my mom," Buffy said softly. "After Oz is done with the moon. I need to see Mom. Oz, I'll get Oz." She turned and dashed up the stairs.
Rupert sighed, and sagged down onto the sofa again, covering his eyes with a hand. Such a stupid thing. The Council not listening to him - such a small, stupid decision. And it had doomed them all.
Jessie came back with a small ice pack. She sat by him on the sofa and took his hand, not looking at his face, and gently held the ice against the burning skin. "Fuckin' Council," she whispered. "They're bastards here too."
"They only care about power. They don't care who dies. They abandon you..." Jessie exhaled slowly. "I think they helped kill me and... they turned on my Giles."
"They-" Rupert stopped his automatic defense of the Council. "Perhaps in your world, they are...bad. Here - well, they don't care about individuals, they care about the world. It just seems they made the wrong decision."
Jessie bit her lip but didn't argue with him. She knew nothing of this world, so it wasn't her place to judge. But it seemed to her from what he'd just said, that the Council had caused the current chaos.
"They reviewed my recommendation...but there was a prophecy in LA...it was debatable which would come about, and with the attack - they thought it was best for her to stay in LA." Rupert sighed.
Jessie nodded and lifted the ice pack to study his hand. It wasn't too bad. "I'm sorry," she said softly.
"No reason to be," Rupert said quietly.
Jessie's hand was still holding his, the other holding the pack. Her fingers stayed on his wrist. She could feel his pulse. She swallowed the lump in her throat.
Oz trotted down the stairs. "Buff says to eat without her."
"Damn," Rupert sighed. "This is going to hit her hard."
Jessie let go of Giles' hand and stood up. "Go be with your Slayer," she said softly. "I... I want to walk around. Check things out. She needs you." Jessie left to throw the ice pack away.
"She went out the window," Oz said with a shrug. "I think she's going to find a demon to beat up."
"I hope she comes back in one piece." Rupert stood up. "If you go outside, be careful," he called to Jessie.
"Want me to get that?" Oz asked, looking at Jessie. "If you open it, be armed."
"I'll get it," Rupert said. He grabbed the sword by the door and opened it.
Jessie returned from the kitchen, itching to just get out of there. But she didn't have any weapons, and now someone was at the door. She stood back behind Oz while Giles got the door.
"Hullo, Rip! Glad to see you too! Usually it's a dagger in your pocket, can we come in?"
Jessie heard that voice and staggered backwards against the wall, her hands clenching into fists.
Rupert rolled his eyes and stepped back. "Only if you're not undead," he said.
"Standing in this sunlight? Not even I'm that good," Ethan said, stepping into the apartment. "Rip, this is Ari. Ari, this is Rip, he was there the night you were conceived. Hullo, all."
Rupert stared at the girl as they walked in. There the - well, she looked familiar.
"Kinda small," Ari said, looking around the living room, unimpressed.
Jessie composed herself and recovered, standing back up before anyone even noticed. She reminded herself this was a different universe. Though it sounded like Ethan was still Ari's father. And Giles...
Ethan tickled Ari's ribs. "Behave, darling. Here, take Rip's guitar and put in the hall closet over there. Rip, you look like hell, luv." He leaned forward and proceeded to kiss Giles, firmly.
Oz blinked and then blushed as Ari looked him up and down. "I, uh, can take the guitar."
Ari smirked at the guy. He was hot. She winked at him and handed the guitar over before looking at her father and his ex - well, his something.
Rupert almost squeaked at the kiss, but after a moment returned it.
Jessie, without a word, left and went upstairs, closing herself into the guest room.
Ethan pulled back and blinked. "I say something wrong? Should I have admitted that I'm bad?"
Oz smiled at Ari. "I didn't know Giles played. I'm Oz, Daniel Oswald."
"I'm Ari," Ari said with a grin. "And from what I've heard, he's some kind of guitar-god." She smirked at the older man.
Rupert blushed slightly. "Erm, uh, that was - probably not very, uh, sensitive," he said. "I should - excuse me." He headed upstairs quickly.
Ethan sighed. "Tell me he has tea? We drove most of the night."
Oz nodded. "In the kitchen. You want some breakfast Ari, Mr..... Ethan?"
"I'd love some," Ari said. She smirked at the kid - wow did he have some interesting energy on him.
Rupert knocked gently on Jessie's door.
Jessie stood by the window, looking out at the cloudy sky. She wanted to ignore the knock. She wanted to not be here, especially right now. Finally she took a ragged breath, "Yes?"
"May I come in?" Rupert asked quietly.
"Yes," Jessie answered, but she didn't turn around from the window.
Oz put Giles' guitar away and began making another pot of tea and breakfast for the newcomers. "So you know Giles from.....?
"We were about your age when we met," Ethan said. "Small talk later, tea first."
"If Ethan doesn't get his tea, he starts whining," Ari confided to Oz in a loud whisper. "And after that come the tantrums."
Rupert walked in slowly. "I wanted to apologize for that. I, uh, didn't expect that from him."
Jessie smiled sadly out the window. "Ethan and Ari. I should have suspected. I think... I think someone is playing a very cruel joke on me." She let the curtain fall back into place.
"Suspected...you know them from your world?" Rupert asked gently.
Slowly Jessie nodded. "Yes."
"Tea coming right up," Oz said with a smile. "I can't wait to hear about this."
Rupert sat down in a chair, and frowned. "Is - I'm sorry, I know this must all be very difficult. He came to bring me the information on trans-dimensional travel."
Finally Jessie turned around. She looked down at his hands. "How is your hand?" she asked softly.
"It's fine," Rupert said quietly. "Are you all right?"
Jessie bit her lip, fighting to control herself. "No. Not at all. But I don't have much choice, do I? And... crawling into a ball and sobbing won't be helpful."
"I know," Rupert sighed. "I'm sorry about the - well, him. You know Ethan - or, well, you know a different Ethan."
Something flashed for a moment in Jessie's eyes, but she simply nodded. "Yes... yes I do. And you shouldn't apologize. You... " Not able to finish the sentence, Jessie faltered.
"Am not the man you know," Rupert said quietly. "I'm sorry."
Jessie shrugged again. "It's sort of funny, actually. You and Ethan and Ari... connected..." Funny, but not ha ha, Jessie thought. Cruel joke indeed.
"Connected? I - well, Ethan and I are old, well, friends," Rupert stumbled on the words. "I don't know the girl."
Jessie looked at him then. "You will. You... you knew her mother. It's just hard because with them you... but you look at me, and you don't know me. And that hurts so much..."
Rupert opened and shut his mouth. "I am sorry," he said after a moment. "I can't imagine how painful that must be."
Jessie rubbed at her face and took a deep breath. "You better get back downstairs. Before Ethan blows something up or something."
Rupert looked alarmed. "Before he -" what on earth was Ethan doing in her world? "Really, at the most, he'll scandalize Oz. Or try to." Oz was rather un-shakable.
Ethan looked up from his plate of food at the red haired boy. "Not bad, thank you. Are you and Rip.....?"
Oz blinked. "Me? Uh, no. I didn't know he.... liked both."
Ari snorted, and then giggled. "He's doing a woman, anyway," she told Ethan, eating her own breakfast. Only one, on Oz. On Rupert, though, she could sense...more than a few.
"Just be careful," Jessie said. There were too many similarities here for her comfort. Yet the one that mattered most to her... Giles... "I'd like to go for that walk. Can I borrow a knife or a sword and a few stakes?"
"Certainly," Rupert said. "Take what you need from the weapon's closet downstairs...it's unlikely you'll be attacked during the day, but it's important to be cautious anyway."
"Who, the boy?" Ethan asked. "I know Rip has probably been shagging a number of women."
Oz looked panicked and stood up quickly. "I.... I gotta go. I'll be back."
"Thank you," Jessie said. She patted down her pocket to make sure her journal was safe and then waited for him to lead the way back downstairs.
"Aww, I'm sorry," Ari said. "You don't need to run away."
Rupert stood up and started back downstairs.
"It's okay.... I'm going to go find Buffy," Oz said, grabbing his coat. "Giles, I'll be back. It's Saturday, no school. See you."
"Take weapons," Rupert called.
Jessie opened the closet Giles had indicated and peered inside. She blinked when she saw a large Bowie knife. She picked it up and also shoved some stakes into her pocket.
"Hand me the sawed off shotgun, please," Oz asked Jessie. "It works great on demons."
Jessie nodded and handed him the gun he requested. It sort of made her nervous to handle a gun.
"Buff is the same, she won't use a pistol or shotgun," Oz said softly. "I'll see you guys later."
"Bye," Ari called, waving. She sipped her coffee, and studied the woman. She was hot. "Hi," she said.
Jessie remembered how that bullet felt, piercing her heart. No, guns were not for her. She glanced up at Ari and swallowed, giving her a very small smile. "Hi," she replied softly.
Aww, and she had a cute smile, too, Ari thought. Weirdly, she had no sexual energy on her at all. "I'm Ari," the demon said, standing up so she could move close to Jessie and offer her hand.
"I know," Jessie said softly. Slowly she reached out and took Ari's hand.
Ari squeezed Jessie's hand and gave her a little seductive smile. "Guess I've got a better reputation than I thought?" she said.
Jessie smiled a little wider. "Something like that." She released Ari's hand and turned to Giles. "Thank you for the weapons."
Then she turned and left the house, taking a deep cleansing breath as she reached the outdoors, and blinking back unshed tears.
Ari frowned. "Everyone's in such a hurry to leave, here," she complained. She sat back down again, and sipped her coffee.
Rupert stared at the girl, frowning, trying to place who she reminded him of. "So, Eth, did you find those books?"
"I did, I brought what I had and three are on their way," Ethan said. "Ari, my love, tell him who your mother is before he squirms out of his chair."
Ari rolled her eyes. "My mother's Valia," she said. "A succubus...you summoned once, with Ethan."
Rupert's eyes widened and he just stared at them both.
Ethan shrugged. "I tried summoning Valia once and got Ari, figure it was the bloodline connecting us. She is much better looking than her mother, don't you think? Yes, she's mine and not yours."
"He checked," Ari said.
"My God," Rupert said quietly. It had never even occurred to him that one of their liasons might have - a half-demon. "I - uh. Why didn't you tell me before?"
"I found out last year," Ethan said. "You've been a little busy and I didn't think this was something to say over the phone."
"Oh, by the way, Rip, my daughter's half-demon?" Rupert asked, giving Ethan a look.
"Half-human," Ari said.
Ethan nodded. "Half of each, so warn that Slayer of yours to keep her weapons to herself. Don't even think of getting self righteous on me, Rip. You're still not a saint."
"Do you kill?" Rupert asked plainly, looking at Ari.
"No!" The demon snapped.
"Ripper," Ethan said, his voice a growl. "You want to ask me if I'm on the right side of things next? Come on, Ari. Rip, the books are in the backpack there."
Rupert stopped himself before he snapped at Ethan. "I'm sorry," he said quietly. "Things are - I'm sorry."
Ari scowled, folding her arms over her chest.
"We don't need this, Rip," Ethan said as he stood up. "I wouldn't have brought her if we weren't in the fight to stem the tide. I could have just sent the books. You've enough on your plate, we'll go."
"Eth, I'm sorry," Rupert said quietly. "Please."
Ethan looked at Ari, silently asking which way she wanted to go.
Ari sighed and shrugged. The Hellmouth wasn't a bad place to hang out, after all.
Ethan sighed. "We'll stick around for a few days, help you with the books that are coming. We've a house full, we'll find a place and make it safe."
"Thank you." Rupert sighed. "I am sorry, it's just - we've seen, well...it's the Hellmouth."
"An open Hellmouth," Ethan clarified. "Rip, get some sleep. Lock your door, post a note to stay away and get some sleep."