Haunted Souls

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I’m not going? What does she mean ‘You’re not going’. I don’t think so! I mean, I think so! I’m going, she’s not going to be fighting that thing alone. I can still stand..,somewhat. And as long as I can still stand…somewhat, then I’ll fight. I’m not the man who used to ‘scream like a girl’ anymore. I really hope she knows that.

The scream ripped through the air and before I could even pick up my crossbow, Buffy shot away like a polarbear out of hell. With fire on his heels. The world turned sideway a few degrees as I started to run into the direction she had rushed off to. The sounds of fighting could be heard, but it sounded to me as though it had to fight through a wall of cotton candy before it reached my eardrums.

Cat ran ahead of me, growling and ready to fight as well. By the time I arrived, panting for air and feeling utterly unless, the world was spinning like mad, my lungs were burning and my head was about to explode. My blurred vision took in the demon on the floor, raided with crossbow bolts and the girl with large eyes gazing up at Buffy as though she was the second coming.

“Taken care of then?” I panted, eyeing the demon critically while pointing my own crossbow at it. And I’m not at all swaying, not me. I can do this, I can handle this. I’m fine.

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She likes Cheerleaders? I cannot help but blink at that as I try not to stare. I-I never knew Buffy was into girls. I would’ve never guesses. Oh my, there had been some rumors about Willow, but I never knew Buffy… Not-not that this is a bad thing. Though, if It’s not a bad thing then why do I feel so bad? But she likes men too right? There was Angel and Spike and…. Maybe it’s just vampires and girls?

This does not make me any happier.

“Well, if you and Gunn want to ogle the cheerleaders of the game, I don’t mind. I’ll just go fetch a book to read,” I mutter.

“No way man,” Gunn teases. “You *know* you wanna ogle them girls too.” He laughs and elbows Buffy in the side. I’ve no idea what’s so funny, but apparently I’m presuming something that’s.. Well, I don’t have a sodding clue what’s so funny.

Giving him a weak smile, I look over at Buffy, wondering if she knows what’s so funny. Apparently she doesn’t, since I’m getting a blank stare back from her as well. Shrugging at her, I have to smile when she shrugs back and we turn to watch the telly again.

There really is nothing on. Well, not for them. There is a rather interesting documentary about ancient Egypt on Discovery. “I think you should wait one night, Buffy,” I suggest calmly, hoping she wont be offended. “You only had a very drugged induced sleep last night and I think it would be good if you had some real sleep.” Clearing my throat, I glance over at Gunn for support, quite relieved to see he’s nodding at that.

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I really wish I knew what her problem was. Aside from the sudden over protectiveness, she seems to have mood swings I've never seen before. One moment she wants to do this, the next she wants to that. One moment we get along just fine, the next she's treating me like a child and the next as though I'm the biggest jerk on the planet. I don't understand it at all. Perhaps I should do as Gunn and just speak my mind. But that's just not like me, and to be quite honest. I can't speak my mind if I don't understand.

Well, either way, I had made my point quite clear. I think I did at least. I didn't need a baby sitter. This had nothing to do with Cordelia, other then the fact that she didn't need a bloody baby sitter when she had the visions. It had everything to do with my right to have a bit of privacy. The right to be on my one every once and a while. I was walking around on this miserable planet a whole deal longer then she, so I think I know how to take care of myself. Scars on my body aside, those were not my fault. Mostly.

Sighing, I parked the car at the back of my flat and made sure no one was looking as I let Cat out. She ran like a black flash into the park making me wince. But when she came back about fifteen minutes later, looking entirely too smug, it would seem no one had seen her. With a shrug, moved up to my apartment. Cat flopped down on the sofa, taking up all the space while I made a beeline for the kitchen.

The ritual of making tea was very soothing as per usual, and I found myself quickly back in the living room. Tea next to me, book in hand and quite comfortable in the chair. I toed off my shoes and pulled my legs under me as I sipped my tea and got myself lost in the Agatha Christie novel. Ah now, this was more like it. Far, far better then some mall.

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Dismayed, I watched her put down the tea and still walk to her bedroom. Sure, she wasn't hiding. And sure she could figure this out on her own. And sure, as they say here, pigs could fly. Then again, the bstali demon does resemble a pig. And it can fly, so I guess that is a possibility. Not that it really is a pig, so I guess pigs, in essence, cannot fly.

Errr.. Where was I?

Right, Buffy.

My options had all been used. Short of grabbing her and slapping some sense into her. Something to get that numb look from her face. But I didn't really want to go down that road. Besides, she is a Slayer; I would be pretty much the one who ended up damaged. Didn't mean I had to like what was going on with her. I knew she was used to bouncing back, but everyone had their limit. I guess she reached hers.

Sighing, I picked up the abandoned cup of tea, which by the way is sacrilege, and sipped it myself. Can't let any tea go to waste. Gunn was still on the phone, though his eyes had followed Buffy until the door of her room close. As I sank down on the sofa, Cat jumped next to me on it and put her head in my lap. Absently I petted her and sighed again. Not that it seemed to be helping a whole lot.

"She'll come 'round," Gunn said quietly as he sat down next to me. "It'll just take time. Y'know. Maybe I should just take her and hit some demons. Watcha think?" He gave me an expectant look, which told me that he pretty much wanted to go out and hit things. Why is it that most everyone around me solves problems by hitting things?

"You can try," I shrugged, sipping Buffy's tea. "Maybe she does feel like doing so. I've no idea."

Gunn seemed to think that over for a moment and then got up to walk over to Buffy's door. "Hey Buffy?" He knocked on the door, pressing his ear to it. "You wanne go out and hunt down some demons?" He sounded very hopeful. Of course it was daylight, so I had to wonder just how many demons they'd get to hit. But...leave it to Charles to find some. He'd been around long enough, even before he joined us, to know where to find some volunteers to be hit.

I didn't want to leave him alone, but I didn't wanna make him feel like he can't be by himself and he was right, Gunn might not come back, so I might as well just go and take a shower and do it quickly so he wouldn't be alone that long. I think he caught onto me anyway and now the situation was a litte more ... well, more uncomfortable and stuff. I watched Cat walk past me and jump up onto the couch before resting her head on Wes' lap.

"Okay then, gonna go and do the whole shower thing and then I'll be back. If Gunn isn't coming back, then how about you order food or something while I'm gone?" I asked him and looked him and Cat over again before disappearing into my room to grab clothes. Then? I realized, I didn't have clothes. With a sigh, I walked out of my room and into Wes' room, grabbing a t shirt and a pair of sweat pants, this would work for now. Tomorrow? So getting some clothes.

After my shower, I stayed in the bathroom for a little bit longer but still, I listened in on him to make sure that he was okay. It was weird, I was like looking after him it seemed, but hey! He needed to be looked after, he had visions and what if he had one and bumped his head or something? I would be held responsible for that cause I wasn't there. Least in Gunn's eyes, I'm sure. He'd do anything and would probably pay money to be there when I did mess up. Where was he all my life? He would have had enough mess ups to fill a book.

Finally after getting dressed and brushing my hair and teeth, I walked back out to the living room where Wes was still on the couch and Cat still had her head in his lap. Giving them both a small smile, I came and sat beside them, my hand reaching out to pet on Cat.

"So, did you order food? And sorry about the whole wearing of you clothes again thing. I have none, tomorrow I'll go and get some."

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Buffy and I had finally made it back out of that hell dimension, with the salt...and a hell cat on our heels. True, the beast had saved us, but she couldn't stay here. And for the live of me, I couldn't get her to understand that. I didn't want to see Cat anymore hurt, or sad, or even lonely then she did. But they both seemed to have grown quite attached to eachother. They certainly made a strange duo.

I closed my eyes when she came to stand next to me and started to apologize. Apologize? I turned halfway to look at her while my mind was stil going over the potion I was supposed to be making. It seemed easy enough, but if I learned one thing it's that *nothing* is as easy as it seemed. "I am not trying to get rid of her," I sighed.

She made it sound as though I were some ogre who would do just about anything to get rid of the cat. I was going to find out where she belonged. I'm quite sure she'd be happy to go home. Maybe she even had a family waiting, like we both did. Only Buffy's was in England and mine was currently trapped in a hellfirm or even worse, inside their bodies.

Rolling my eyes at her, I turned back to the potion and reached for my knife. At least I didn't have to use her essence again. I truly hoped that that bond we seemed to have was gone. Not the one where we got along, because I liked that. But I had figured out what had happened when we lost each other in the rain. She'd been to far gone from me, and had caused my relapse.

"I think we both can use a good nights sleep before we tackle the problem at the firm. We're both exhausted from that trip and tired minds make mistakes. We can't afford any. What do you think?"

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