Author: Siobhan
Title: Is Cuma Liom?
Part: 1/5
Disclaimer: The characters from the series Buffy the Vampire Slayer are not mine, they are the creation of Joss Whedon's genius and Mutant Enemy.If you plan on posting this on your web site please include my name and the disclaimer, and notify me.
Rating: PG
[Is Cuma Liom? I]
Sr. Elaine ran down the corridor and around the corner as fast as she possibly could. One of the teachers in the school in which she was the principal had suddenly attacked her for no apparent reason and was now chasing her with a rather sharp looking axe.
Miss. Hayes had taught French in the Loreto convent for girls for several years now and had always seemed to be a normal if somewhat private person. As she shot a fleeting glance back at her pursuer Sr. Elaine could see that the face of the woman she had once known as mild mannered Miss. Hayes was twisted and deformed and her eyes glowed a demonic red.
Rounding another corner Sr. Elaine had safety in sight. Her office was just another hundred yards. With a sudden burst of energy she ran with all her speed into the office and slammed the door behind her. Fumbling with her keys she looked the door just as the demon reached it. She could hear its outraged bellows as it made futile attempts to force the door open. Thankfully, however, the door had been reinforced to protect against vandals.
Shakily she picked up the phone and dialled 999. Once she had informed the police of her whereabouts she unlocked her drawer and removed the ancient leather bound book which she had been studying in the hopes in could give her some answers. As she turned yet another worn page a picture caught her eye. As she read the Gaelic text below her eyes widened in horror. Quickly booted up her computer and started typing an e-mail furiously. There was only one person she could think of whom could help her now.
Part One
“But why?” Buffy whined.
“Because, Buffy, as I have told you three times already the prophecy says it is the end of the world and all the signs indicate it will occur in Tara, County Meath which is in Ireland.”
“But it’s cold and wet there. Aren’t there enough demons to slay on the Hellmouth?”
Giles had long since realised the futility of arguing with Buffy and instead glared disapprovingly. He adored, Buffy, really he did but sometimes she could be just plain child-like. He had received an e-mail just two days before from a Sr. Elaine in an Irish convent, which contained an extremely disturbing prophecy. After spending two days researching and verifying his findings he had decided the best course of action would for them all to fly out to Ireland as soon as possible.
“Fine.” Buffy’s shoulders slumped in submission. She knew Giles was right and she would have gone even if hadn’t forced her. That, however, didn’t mean she wouldn’t complain about it at every chance possible. Angel had told her about Ireland in one of their infrequent discussions about his past. While she knew that the country itself had changed a lot since Angel was last there she doubted the weather had. Although he loved his country of origin Angel had always hated how grey and dismal the weather always seemed to be. Buffy was a California girl through and through – and she liked her sunshine.
“So I’ve already informed Willow of our plans and she said she would tell Tara, Xander and Anya. That just leaves Riley and I’m sure you’d like to invite him yourself Buffy.”
“Riley.. Riley won’t be joining us.” Buffy told Giles quietly her head slightly lowered. Giles knew the look on his Slayer’s face all too well and while he didn’t know the exact details of what had transpired between Buffy and the ex-commando he knew that her heart had once again been broken.
“Buffy, I’m so sorry – you know I’m always here for you. If there’s anything at all I can do...”
“I’m fine Giles. We have more important things to worry about right now – like world-savage.”
“Yes, indeed. Although without Riley we are left slightly lacking in the strength department. I was counting on his help. Maybe Angel could...”
“No.” Buffy cut Giles off abruptly.
“Buffy he is a good fighter and as much as I dislike him we could use his help.”
“Spike. He could help us.”
“Buffy...”
“No. This could work. Spike is just as good a fighter as Angel and he does love a good fight. Look its best all around if Angel and I continue to keep our distance and I think Ireland could bring up too many bad memories of his past for Angel as well.”
“Ok. I agree with you. Spike would be the better choice. But Buffy Spike has been all to reluctant to help us in the past and I shudder to think how much money he would look for for this big a favour. How do you intend on getting him to agree?”
“Oh don’t worry about that Giles. I know just how to get ol’ Spikey to agree.”
Giles frowned worriedly at what Buffy was contemplating as he saw the pure evil gleam in her eyes.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
A series of sudden sensations woke Spike. He was suddenly aware of someone or something straddling him and a very sharp pressed gently against his bare chest.
“Spi-ike.” His eyes snapped open at that. The Slayer. What the hell could she possibly want from him now?
“Get the hell off me Slayer. I still have enough nightmares from that spell of Reds without waking up with you on top of me.”
“Uh-uh, I’m not moving an inch.”
Spike groaned and tried to lift her off of him as gently as possible so as not to activate his chip but she held on tight.
“Ok Summers. Fine. I give up. What do you want?”
“I want you...” Buffy drawled slowly, “to smile for the camera.”
“Wha…” The room suddenly filled with a bright flash and a look of horror flashed across Spike’s face as realisation of what she had done crossed his face.
Buffy leapt off him and dashed across the room to where she had positioned the camera. Snatching out the Polaroid she briefly examined it before placing it safely in her pocket.
“Now, Spike. You’re not getting your hands on this without a fight and seeing as how you can’t fight anymore I guess you’re just going to have to do exactly what I tell you.”
“Now you just hold on a bloody second...”
“Unless that is you want me to show this around Willy’s. A picture of you completely at my mercy, tell me now, what exactly would that do for whatever shreds of a reputation you have left in this town?”
Spike just thumped his head against his bed repeatedly as Buffy continued grinning at him smugly in victory. She knew she was right. Spike couldn’t afford to risk her showing anyone at all that picture and there was no way he was getting it back off her.
“Fine Slayer what do I have to do? Research party at the watcher’s? Make you some more stakes? Scrub your feet? What the hell do you want??”
“Well Spikey...”
“Wait a minute. I know what you want. You want me to patrol so you can go shag that commando of yours. Well you can bugger off if you think…”
Spike noticed the smug expression on the slayer’s face slip away at the mention of her idiot boyfriend and an evil smirk began to cross his face.
“What’s the matter Summers. Another one decide you weren’t good enough?”
Buffy back-fisted him in response. The grin on his face never faltered. There was nothing he enjoyed more than seeing the Slayer in pain – even if he wasn’t the one inflicting it and her reaction only proved his theory right.
“It’s none of your business Spike and if you want to remain undead I would advise you drop it. Now back to the little matter of the little favour your going to do for us. You’re coming to Ireland with us to save the world.”
“WHAT!” The expression on Spike’s face almost made Buffy completely forget her heartache over how badly things had ended with Riley.
“Not a bloody chance Slayer. I had enough of that hell hole when Peaches dragged us there for an entire bleedin’ decade.”
“Well, Spike my boy, you don’t have a choice in the matter. So I’d suggest you start packing your whole two outfits and get ready because your coming, like it or not.”
Buffy could hear a low growling as she turned around to leave and the grin on her face got wider and wider. She had always loved fighting Spike and if he couldn’t fight anymore she’d just have to make do with annoying him as much as any one person possibly could.
Spike flung the Kiss The Librarian mug he had stolen from Giles’ house against the wall, after Buffy had left, in irritation. She was right and he knew it. He would have no choice but to go along to the Poof’s country of birth and help the annoying little Slayerettes stop whatever prophecy, was currently threatening his happy meals.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
“Buffy. You’re back. I trust you were successful.”
“Oh yeah. Spike’s definitely on board. He won’t be backing out of this one any time soon.”
Giles frowned at the self-satisfied smirk on Buffy’s face but decided it better not to ask. Whatever she had done he was pretty sure he didn’t want to know.
Just then the door to Giles’ apartment swung open and Anya and Xander came in engrossed in a conversation.
“Haven’t you people ever heard of knocking?” Giles asked half-heartedly. He didn’t really mind anymore. He was used to it by now and they were there so much they might as well have lived there.
Ignoring him completely they sat down on the couch and continued there discussion about when Anya had visited Ireland in her past as a vengeance demon. Unlike both Angel and Spike, Anya quite liked it in Ireland. It was a country where women were treated as equals in the olden days and a lot of the times were very powerful. That is until the British invaded Ireland and their system of women being there only to serve men came into power.
Willow and Tara joined them soon after, followed by a very unhappy looking Spike. Once they were all settled down Giles began the meeting.
“Right, you all know why we are here so lets get right down to business. I have booked a flight for the seven of departing this evening at six thirty. I have informed them of Spike’s ‘allergy’ to sunlight and they have made arrangements to accommodate him. The flight will be arriving in Ireland at about eight am which at this time of year will be not long after sunrise so I have bought Spike this.” At that Giles tossed Spike a dark black cloak with a hood. Spike looked at the thing in disgust but said nothing.
“Once there,” Giles continued ignoring Spike’s apparent annoyance, “we will drive the van I have booked to were we are to meet this Sr. Elaine which is about an hour away from Dublin airport according to her. That’s about it. Anyone have any questions?”
“Yeah,” Spike replied, “I have one. Just what the bloody hell are we going to that god forsaken hell whole for anyway?”
“Buffy eh she didn’t inform you?”
“No she bloody well didn’t so would you like to tell me what’s going on?”
“Well I was e-mailed a prophecy from an Irish nun about two days ago which predicted the end of the uh world.”
“And this prophecy would be...?”
Giles picked up one of his books and began to read it aloud.
"Tiocfaidh an lá go dtiocfaidh an bean leis an croí dubh ar ais, Beidh a draíocht níos cumhachtacht ná aon rud riamh, Ní bheidh éine ábalta í a stoppadh agus scriosfaidh sí an domhan."
“The day will come when the women with the black heart returns. Her magic will be more powerful than anything before. No one will be able to stop her and she will destroy the world,” Spike translated.
“Well, eh yes. I didn’t know you spoke Irish Spike.”
“I lived there with Poof for ten years. I picked up a thing or two. The question is now how do stop this all powerful witch so I can make my stay in that place as short as possible.”