Truth and Heroes
Chapter 2
* * * * *
“This is it?“ Buffy asked Willow, a bit skeptically.
Willow glanced at the address, gleaned from the phone book and written on a sticky note. Lisa the Vampire Slayer’s address. The address belonged to a dry cleaners.
Superman, a bright peacock among the rest of the group -- Spike’s black duster looked positively boring in comparison to Clark’s costume -- narrowed his eyes and then said, “There’s apartment in the back.”
It wasn’t all that late -- just after nine PM. Lane asked Superman, “Is she home?”
“Yeah. Door opens onto the alley. This way.” Superman led the way with the rest of the gang flocking after him: Lane, Buffy, Spike, Willow. Buffy couldn’t help but feeling a bit drab in contrast with the brilliant blue and red and yellow of his Suit.
Superman knocked on the door, then stepped back and stood with his arms folded and shoulders squared. He wore his I-am-Superman pose, the one that said he was important and powerful and aloof from the world, with the same comfort that he donned the Suit. Buffy noted her friends had moved several feet away from him. Clark was part of the gang, but Superman warranted considerable extra personal space.
The door opened. “Yeah?“ A woman asked, somewhat rudely, then her eyes narrowed as she recognized the man at the door. “Superman.“
She didn’t sound happy to see him. In fact, she sounded downright suspicious. Lisa the Vampire Slayer was far older than Buffy expected; the woman was a fit, toned, forty-something woman with a pony tail of auburn hair streaked grey and green eyes that were cold as ice. “What do you want?”
She hadn’t even spared the rest of the gang a glance. Superman just warranted that sort of attention. Buffy’d come to the conclusion that you could put Superman in a three ring circus, surround him with dancing bears, elephants doing head stands, and a herd of clowns, maybe a trapeze act, and a couple of dog and pony shows … and the audience wouldn’t notice anything but the man in the blue suit. He just had that sort of presence.
The buns of steel on the Man of Steel didn’t hurt that effect, either.
“A moment of your time, Ms. Alice.” Her full name was Lisa Alice, Buffy recalled. Superman said, “We thought you should know about my friends here. This is actually a social call.”
Buffy had been here a week, which was long enough for her to have picked up on the awe most folks had of Superman. It spoke volumes about his character that he spent much of his life incognito as Clark Kent.
If anything, though, this announcement made Lisa more suspicious. Now she glanced at the others, scanning their faces. Buffy was reasonably sure she didn’t miss her own and Lane’s builds and stance -- fight enough fights and it showed up in the way you moved and stood and the way you were muscled. Buffy could tell the difference between a gym jock and a real warrior at a hundred yards. Those green eyes hesitated on Willow, then squinted suspiciously at Spike.
Buffy glanced at Spike, who wasn’t breathing. He did an awesome impersonation of a real boy, but an experienced Slayer -- and even in this inoffensive world, a Slayer who made thirty-something was likely very experienced -- could spot the tell-tale signs of a vampire. He didn’t breath, his skin was grave pale but no veins showed, and her Slayer intuition, that indefinable psychic sense that some Slayers had (and which Buffy sucked at) might well be screaming, “Demon!”
“I’m Buffy,” Buffy said, holding her hand out in greeting. “Buffy Summers. My idea to drop in, actually; I figured it was professional courtesy.”
The woman scowled at her, but did shake her hand. “Professional courtesy?”
“Sure.” Buffy gave her a grin that she hoped said she was an ally and not a tooth-baring rabid demon to be slain. Because the latter could lead to an awkward fight. “I’m a Slayer too. We’re in town until we figure out how to get home. I thought you might like to know we’re around -- maybe even go out for pizza or something.”
“Hold on!” The woman said, shortly, sounding annoyed. “Look, I don’t know what you’re up to, or how you found out I’m the Slayer …”
“Witch here,” Willow waggled her finger in a wave.
“Ah. … But you obviously didn’t do enough research because there can only be one Slayer at a time.”
“Oh, right,” Buffy shrugged. “Willow fixed that in my universe. We’re not from around here.”
Confusion warred with annoyance on her face. Superman clarified, “My friends are from another dimension.”
“You know about Slayers.” Lisa glanced up at Superman, then at Buffy, then again at Spike. Her eyes narrowed at Spike. Buffy winced, half expecting Spike to say something sarcastic, but he kept his mouth shut for once.
“I do now,” Superman said. “Buffy and Willow have been bringing me up to speed.”
Lisa regarded Buffy with those unfriendly green eyes for a long moment. “Daring, to bring Superman in to this.”
Buffy shrugged, “To tell the truth, I was scared to death he was going to turn out to be an uber-nasty Big Bad when I first found out about him. Been there before. But Superman’s earned my trust.”
Lisa raised an eyebrow at him and said, “So I guess this is my chance to ask the question that’s been bugging me for years: what kind of demon are you?”
“He’s not,” Buffy said, “He really is an alien.”
“This is rather … unexpected.” Her tone also said, *unwelcome.* Reluctantly, she stepped back and gestured at the interior of her apartment. “Guess I should play hostess.”
Buffy noted it wasn’t an invitation. The woman wasn’t stupid. She exchanged looks with her friends, then everyone’s gaze settled on Spike.
“Right. I’ll just keep watch out here.” Spike cleared his throat and rummaged in the pockets of his duster for what Buffy knew were his cigarettes. “Never know what sort of a baddy might want their laundry cleaned at nine PM at night.”
Lisa snorted. “Some Slayer you are, Buffy. Do you know what your friend there is?”
“I know exactly what he is,” Buffy said, quietly.
“Spike’s a vampire,” Willow said, with a grin. “Grr, arrgh, all that. Also, soul.”
“How did that happen?” Lisa said, showing the first trace of curiosity since she’d opened the door. Buffy noted she still hadn’t invited Spike inside.
“He earned it …” Buffy started to say, but Spike interrupted it.
“Got it to impress a girl.” Spike said, with a smile. “Worked, too.”
“Oh, the girl was already impressed,” Willow snickered. “The soul just was icing and stuff on the Spike-cake.”
“Ooh, icing … Buffy likes that …” Spike licked his lips at Buffy.
“Okay, majorly more than I ever wanted to know.” Willow said, shaking her head and blushing.
“Guys!” Buffy frowned at both of them. She turned her attention back to Lisa. Firmly, she said, “He earned it. And he saved the world a few times before he got it.”
Lisa’s expression was openly skeptical. “Forgive me if I don’t invite him in.”
“’S okay. Like I said, alley needs watching.” Spike tapped a cigarette out.
“Oh, that’s a filthy habit.” Lisa said, disapprovingly.
“Luv, I’m a vampire. ‘S not gonna kill me.” Spike’s tone only barely managed to be snaky and not condescending.
“Look,” Lisa said, sounding suddenly tired. “I appreciate the … professional courtesy … and all, but it’s very late and I should be going to bed soon. And I don’t really see what we can do for each other, it’s been years since we’ve had any trouble with vampires.”
“I … see.” Buffy felt a surge of disappointment in the other Slayer. They were kin, in some weird and twisted way that involved demon ancestry and magic and sorcery. And they were sisters in arms. At least the woman could have tried to be friendly.
“Would you like to patrol together?” Buffy suggested. She didn’t want to leave on this note; this was another Slayer -- someone who her instincts insisted should be a friend.
Lisa‘s response was openly unfriendly. “I haven’t been on a patrol in two years. No need. Though with him around, I might consider it -- and Superman, I’ve been keeping tabs on you. Keep your nose clean.”
“Yes ma’am,” Superman, surprisingly to Buffy, didn’t seem offended.
Lisa shut the door. Several bolts and latches rattled shut. Buffy stared at the door, a bit shocked, for a moment, then shrugged and turned to her friends. “Bitch much?”
“She’s scared,” Superman said, thoughtfully.
“She didn’t smell scared,” Spike said. “Trust me, I know what fear smells like.”
Superman glanced at Spike then said in a mild tone of voice, “Not that kind of scared.”
* * * * *
Superman went off to patrol the skies on his nightly rounds, searching for the mostly human crimes (and the odd car accident) that he specialized in and the rest of them minus Lane returned to the Kent’s apartment via a circuitous route that involved back allies, a graveyard, and a mall. Lane headed off to do some research at the library -- she said something about her next book before excusing herself.
No vampires, though they disrupted a mugging.
They arrived back at the Kents’ apartment late -- but despite the fact that Lois had work the next day, the lights were still on. Inside they found Lois and Bill seated at the kitchen table with a man that Buffy had thought (and hoped) she would never see again.
He was tall, thin, angular, big nose, prominent cheekbones. Familiar. Damned familiar.
Willow said, from behind Buffy, in a shocked tone of voice that mirrored the racing adrenalin in Buffy’s veins, “Ethan Rayne.”
Lois heard Willow‘s alarm and said as she stood up, “You know each other?”
“Unfortunately.” Buffy said, with distaste. The adrenalin was fading. This was -- she hoped -- this world’s Ethan. Maybe he was different. Maybe.
“Actually, I don’t believe we have had the pleasure.” Ethan also rose, and offered his hand to Buffy.
Buffy accepted it, after regarding it with about as much enthusiasm as she would give the prospect of grasping a poisonous snake. “I’m Buffy?”
“He’s a friend.” Lois said, somewhat coldly.
“He’s an enemy, where I come from.” Willow had her arms folded.
“Woah, ladies, I don’t even know you.” Ethan held his hands up. “Why do I have the oddest feeling that I’ve stepped into the twilight zone here? You guys are staring at me like I eat babies or something.”
Spike said, “Ah, Buffy’ll forgive you for eating babies …”
“I so do not want to think about that statement, Spike.” Buffy said, with a frown at Spike. She turned to back to face Ethan, after a second, and said, “I’m Buffy Summers, Vampire Slayer …”
“Old Lisa finally kicked off, did she? I always figured that bitch was too mean to die.” Ethan said, with a snort.
“Vampire slayer from another dimension.” Buffy clarified. She decided she didn’t like the tone of voice Ethan had used and upped her level of alertness a notch. “Where you are one of the more annoying thorns in my side …”
“… at least until she let the Initiative have you. Buffy -- have anyone heard from Rayne since then?” Spike interjected.
“So forgive me for being suspicious. Bad memories.” Buffy said. She added to Spike, “No. I don’t think anyone’s heard from him. Guess we should follow up on that.”
Lois said, sharp and short, “Buffy, he’s not the Ethan from your world. Ethan‘s a friend of mine.”
Bill added, “Ethan’s been teaching Lois about magic …”
“Oh, that’s just a bloody beautiful idea.” Spike snapped. Buffy concurred with the irritation in his voice; she wasn’t sure which was the worst idea -- Lois learning magic or any version of Ethan Rayne teaching it to her.
“Ethan in my universe worships chaos.” Buffy said, shortly. “And deliberately creates it. Regularly.”
This Ethan closed his eyes; when he opened them again and looked at her she was struck by the pain lurking there. In a near whisper, he said, “I don’t. Buffy -- trust me on this, I’m not what you seem to think I am. I learned my lesson about dark magics a long time ago. Got scared straight, so to speak.”
Buffy glanced at Spike, who had his arms folded, then at Willow, who was scowling intensely. Then, suddenly, Willow brightened. “Ethan, Buffy’s Watcher in her world is a man I believe you used to be friends with -- at least, in her world. Maybe you could help us find him. That is, if you’re on the side of the light.”
“Yes?” Ethan said, warily.
“Rupert Giles.” Buffy prompted. “In our world, you went to college with him.”
Ethan closed his eyes and sighed. “I haven’t heard anyone say that name in a long time. Ripper’s dead, kids. Years ago.”
“Oh.” Buffy felt like her feet had been kicked out from underneath her. She sat down. Her heart sank; in the back of her mind she‘d had a fantasy about finding Giles and asking him for help -- she‘d have given a great deal for his support right now. “I’m sorry to hear that.”
“Demon got him. Something we were raising together.” Ethan also claimed a chair. He ran a hand over his long face and sighed again. “Truth to tell, he’s probably the reason why I am who I am today. I was on a bad path before …”
He trailed off, but the look on his face was eloquent. It spoke as loud as words of horrors and old griefs.
“I’m sorry.” Willow said.
“The demon possessed him. I had to kill it. And him.” Ethan said, quietly. He stood up again. “I should go. It’s late. Lois, when you finish that chapter give me a call and we’ll work on some focusing exercises.”
“Sure.” Lois said. “Thanks, Ethan.”
After he left, Spike said shortly, “You don’t buy that sob-story crap from that tosser, do you Buffy?”
Buffy said, “I don’t know, Spike. Maybe. This isn‘t our world. Maybe it happened like he said -- the demon killed Giles and he got scared onto the straight and narrow. They were friends, a long time ago.”
“Bloody hell. Bloody Ethan Raynes …” Spike gave Lois a hard, measuring look. “Pet, you’re in over your head. What’s he teaching you?”
Lois glanced at a book on the table -- leather bound, gold embossed cover, worn and faded in places. An old book, and one that was well used. Spike snatched up the book from the kitchen table and held it up for the others to see. “The Booke of Incantations.”
“Bad book?” Buffy guessed.
“It’s just a book of basic spells,” Lois protested, trying to grab it back. Spike held it over her head, then passed it to Willow.
Willow said shortly, “Spike’s right, Lois. You’re in way over your head if he’s teaching you from that book. It‘s a book of incantations aimed at people with a lot more experience than you have.l
“You’re a witch,” Lois sounded indignant. “How can you justify telling me not to learn magic!”
“That’s not what I said,” Willow’s voice was cold and dangerous -- her I’m Powerful voice, the one that Buffy hadn’t heard out of her in a very long time, the one that often included coal-black eyes and flying objects. Buffy mentally winced. Lois had just jabbed one heck of a sore spot for Willow and she probably didn‘t even know it. “I said you’re in over your head. You want to learn magic? Fine. I can find you the right sort of coven and the right tutors to work with.”
“I don’t need this,” Lois grabbed for the book from Spike. He held it over her head, then reached past her to hand it to Willow. “You’re overreacting a bit.”
“Red knows a bit about what she’s yammering on about,” Spike said, voice deceptively mild. “You might want to listen to her. And she’s objecting to that book because it’s too sophisticated for someone at your level. You’re either going to get in over your head and get eaten by the magic or you’re going to make something go boom and get hurt. Or you’ll summon something that’s best not summoned.”
“I know what I’m doing,” Lois said, trying to grab the book from Willow. Willow held it behind her back.
“Witness Exibit A as proof that you don’t.” Spike held his arms out wide.
“Bringing you here was an accident. How was I supposed to know that Willow was casting a spell on Clark at the same time?” Lois protested. She grabbed Willow’s arm and tried to physically wrest the book from her. “Some guests you are!”
“Friends.” Willow corrected. Her voice was mildly less dangerous. She tossed the book back to Spike. “Who don’t let friends play with things they don’t understand.”
“Guys …” Buffy said, seeing a rather dangerous amount of anger on Lois’ face. This had the potential to go all pear shaped and nuclear boomy in a big hurry. Lois, as best she could tell, didn‘t have much magical ability at all, lack of knowledge there, but that sort of anger in a friend -- an alley -- was a bad thing. Spike didn‘t care if Lois was pissed off, and Willow was up on her righteous high horse about magic and Ethan Rayne and years of baggage. She wasn’t exactly listening to the exact level of outrage in Lois’ voice and the rage on her face … Lois didn‘t have a clue why Willow and Spike were ganging up on her, just that they were. This had to be handled more tactfully; Lois wasn’t a big bad they could beat on until she gave up.
Buffy started to say, “Lois is a big girl …”
Lois lunged towards Spike, hand outstretched for the book. Spike vamped out, eyes amber, teeth bared. He snarled from the bottom of his lungs. He was also grinning. “Want this, pet?”
Lois recoiled with a scream of fear.
“Spike!“ Buffy said, in mildly horrified rebuke.
Spike gave her a look that she couldn‘t read -- the grin didn’t fade -- then he handed Lois her the book. She snatched it and retreated across the apartment. Buffy gave her points for courage; Spike hadn’t lost his game face yet. She was breathing hard and her eyes were wild. It was one thing to know that Spike was a vampire; it was quite another to have him go all fangy at her …
Spike said calmly, “Best you know what you’re dealing with before you get all friendly with it, pet … you might get a nasty surprise.”
“Spike, knock it off.” Buffy slapped him backhanded in the middle of his chest.
She turned around, and realized that Bill had calmly -- and wordlessly -- rose from his chair to put himself between Lois and Spike. There wasn’t any fear in his face, and curiously, no anger either. He glanced back at Lois, and said quietly, “You okay, Lois?”
She sniffed, and sounding very close to tears, said, “Yeah.”
“Sorry, Lois, they got carried away.” Buffy said, glaring at Spike.
He lost the game face. His eyes were worried now, and upset. “Sorry, Pet. I didn’t mean to scare you that bad.”
“I’m a grown up and fully capable of making my own decisions.” Lois clutched the book to her chest. “I’d appreciate it if you didn’t treat me like I was a child over this. I know you people know more than I do, but I’m not a complete fool.”
She sounded indignant now, and a good bit farther from sobbing, and she glared at Spike.
“It’s just -- there’s bad things in the world. Magic, now that I know it’s real -- it gives me a chance to level the playing field a bit the next time something bad comes after me. Or heaven forbid, after Clark.” Lois held her head high. “That’s why I’m studying it.”
Willow said quietly, “The danger is, Lois, that magic is addictive. And the book you’re studying -- it’s like teaching a child to drive using a Ferrari. There’s all kinds of opportunities for badness. I -- know about that.”
“Red nearly destroyed the world once.” Spike said. “Deliberately. It was pretty cool.”
Willow’s glare was positively dangerous. “You know, there’s this spell I know that needs vampire dust to work.”
Spike started to make some sort of response, but the fire escape window yanked open and Superman flew through it. Literally. He landed next to Lois and demanded, “What’s going on? I heard you scream.”
“Fang boy here was just giving me a demonstration of what his demon looks like.” Lois said, arms folded. “He surprised me.”
Bill added, “She’s fine, Clark. I wouldn’t have let anything happen to her.”
“I know Bill, thanks, but we’re not invulnerable. She screams, I come.” Clark sounded somewhat amused now that he’d established that Lois wasn’t in any danger. “It’s sort’ve a Pavlovian response.”
“They seem to think that I’m not talented enough to learn magic.” Lois sniffed.
“That’s not what I mean,” Willow rolled her eyes. “I think you should learn magic the right way, from the right people.”
“I would tend to agree with that, from what I’ve seen in her world.” Clark said, mildly. “But that’s why you’ve found a teacher, right?”
“Ethan Rayne.” Buffy said, flatly.
“Ethan seems okay,” Clark said. “I’ve checked him out. So did Lois. He seems clean enough. He’s got a few parking tickets -- but so does Lois.”
Willow said, disgruntled, “But it’s Ethan Rayne.”
Buffy said, firmly, “I’m going to say this once: Ethan Rayne in my world is a powerful sorcerer and an evil man. I would caution you to be careful. But that’s all I can do. You’ll need to make your own decisions in this. Make wise ones.”
Lois snorted. “I’ll be careful. I always am.”
“Also,” Buffy pointed out, “Remember that Clark’s not invulnerable to magic. He may not be able to help you if you get in over your head. Don’t expect a rescue from him. He could get hurt trying, maybe killed.”
From the look on Lois’ face, she realized she’d struck closer to home than she’d intended. Lois bit her lip for a second then said quietly, “I’m not worried.”
“That,” Willow said, with a roll of her eyes, “Is what scares me the most.”
