The Other Half Lives
by Patti, Rae, Rob, and Spring - Summer of 2003
Chapter 10 – Search Party
(Rae)
by Patti, Rae, Rob, and Spring - Summer of 2003
Chapter 10 – Search Party
(Rae)
Buffy stretched luxuriously, marveling in how good it felt to be a woman again. Flipping onto her stomach she reached out to slide her index finger along Spike’s spine, "Now THAT was delishhh!"
Turning his head to look at her, Spike’s eyes glittered. "Ready for another go, luv?"
Buffy’s eager grin seemed to say it all until they heard the thud of a book dropping from out in the shop. Suddenly a red flush filled Buffy’s face and she pulled away from Spike. Scurrying across the room, she kneeled in front of a cabinet.
"So, no, then?"
Buffy turned in surprise, feeling Spike’s hand spread out on her back. "No." Waving vaguely towards the door to the shop, she pulled away. "They’ll hear."
"And, you think they were struck deaf for the last fifteen minutes?"
"What? No, look, forget it. I got carried away but they’ll be waiting for us."
Buffy grabbed a pile of clothes and held them over her protectively. "I’m just going to throw on Faith’s spare workout clothes." Starting towards the bathroom, she glanced back at him. "Put your pants back on."
"You mean the ones with a hole in the rear?"
"Well—" she waved towards her disregarded pants. "Wear those. I don’t need them now."
"Didn’t you go commando?"
"So—"
"Not bloody likely."
"Fine. You figure it out." Buffy slammed the bathroom door shut and, after taking a moment to wash her face and admire her womanly curves, she pulled on the clothes. Opening the door, she said, "Look, Spike, I’m sorry. I’ve just had a long . . ." She came to a stop as she realized the workout room was empty.
"Found it." Willow held up a book and grinned at the others. "Now we just need to find Greg."
"I can take care of that," Buffy’s voice floated up the stairs. The others watched as she followed.
"Spike all better?"
Buffy blushed as she looked away from their curious eyes and answered Giles. "Yeah, he’s fine. He—uh, went home. His pants . . . he needed a new pair."
"I’ll bet." Buffy’s face grew redder at Dawn’s mumbled comment.
"You mentioned finding Greg? Leave it to me." Buffy smiled to herself, her hands curling into fists at her side. "I’ll enjoy teaching him the dangers of messing with the Slayer."
"You can’t." Tara piped up.
"I what?"
"What I mean," Tara stumbled over her words in an attempt to explain, "is that we decided to find him a girl."
"Find him a girl . . . Why?"
"Buff— I know you aren’t happy with the guy."
"Happy? Serious Understatement."
"Ok, yes, you’re a little mad," Xander ignored her as she muttered, ‘little!’ under her breath. "But he’s got more powder and we can’t guarantee he won’t use it again."
"Right, and it’s not like he’s a bad guy. He’s just—"
"A loser?" Anya offered helpfully only to have Willow glare at her for interrupting.
"No. I was going to say he just isn’t good with girls. And, I feel his pain. Girls are complicated…"
"Willow, focus."
"Sorry. Just, if we can help him, maybe we can stop him from feeling that he needs the powder."
"So, let me see if I have this straight . . . We are going to help the guy who turned me into a boy, find a girlfriend?"
"Right." The others nodded in agreement.
"Alright, but let the record show I’m not happy with this plan." Turning to Willow, Buffy asked, "What do we need to do?"
"Well, I’ve got everything I need here. You and Xander find Greg. Giles and Dawn can work on the allergy spell while Tara and I find him a match." As she continued she lead the group downstairs, placing the books in her arms on the table. "Check in with us once you find him. By then we should be able to tell you where to find his best match. Anya can meet you there with the allergy spell."
"Great." Xander turned to Buffy.
"Allergy spell?" Buffy looked confused. Xander pushed her ahead of him, out the door.
"I’ll explain on the way."
"Woaahhh, there GQ."
Greg stumbled to a halt when the cute bouncer stepped in front of him. Glancing around nervously, he spoke quickly, "I need to get in."
Faith eyed the kid, amused at his harried look. "What’s the rush? Demons chasing you down?"
"What?! No, just a crazy girl, stalking me."
Faith laughed, "Ain’t that what guys want? Girls after them?" she grinned as Greg shook his head. "Aright, kid. Got an ID?"
"ID?" She nodded to the armbands lying on the table next to the door. "Oh, no, I don’t want to drink."
Faith shrugged, "Whatever floats your boat. Have fun. Watch out for those crazy girls."
Greg sighed with relief as he mingled with the crowed in the Bronze. With the band on stage, there was barely room to move around which suited him just fine. If Buffy and her friends thought to look here for him, it wouldn’t be easy to find him.
"This is getting ridiculous. This is Sunnydale." Buffy threw up her hands in frustration. Standing across the street from the Bronze, the last place they hadn’t checked, she was beginning to fear she wouldn’t be able to find Greg.
"Maybe we should get Spike to smell—"
"No." Buffy cut off Xander, shaking her head. "I can do this. Besides, I don’t think he’d in the mood to help me right now."
"Geez. After the workout you guys got, you’d think he’d—"
"Xander!!"
"What, it’s not like you were being quiet in there."
"Let’s just check out the Bronze, ok?" Buffy grabbed Xander’s arm and started across the street. "Faith, what’s up? Seen any g—"
"Is that my shirt?"
"Huh? Oh, yeah. I needed some clothes that fit."
"Nice to see you back in form, B. Even if your form don’t fill out my shirt as nicely as I do." Faith grinned at Buffy.
"I don’t have time to spar with you right now, Faith. We need to find Greg. Can we go in?"
"You let Greg get away? Again?"
Buffy bristled, "He had more powder." She started to explain but suddenly stopped, "I’ll explain later. Willow is expecting a call from us."
"Yeah, ok. Boss ain't gonna like me lettin’ you in . . ." Faith eyed Buffy’s clothes, ". . . in that outfit. But, hey, there’s a mess of people in there. Chances are he won’t see ya." Faith stepped aside to let them through the door.
Buffy glared and muttered as she passed her, "My outfit. It’s YOUR outfit." She came to a stop almost immediately, the crowd pressing her backwards toward Xander. "Great. The one night the Bronze gets popular, I need it to be dead."
"Buffy, this way." Xander nodded to a free spot to the right, under the stairs. "You check upstairs. I’ll see if the bartender has seen him."
"The bartender?"
"Yeah, they always know everyone in these places."
"Right. Good idea." Buffy forced her way up the stairs apologizing to the girl she poked in the back with her elbow. "Excuse me. Sorry."
"Watch it, girlfriend."
"Sorry." Buffy rolled her eyes as she finally reached the landing. With the majority of the people hanging over the balcony, the crowd thinned out at on the second level. "Who is this band, anyway?" Her question went unanswered or, quite likely, even heard as the crowd broke out into shouts and cheers.
Buffy searched the people leaning over the banister. The weak light filtering out from small lamps on the scattered tables didn’t aid in the search. Grabbing one guy’s shirt, she hauled him around to face her.
"What the—back off, honey. I’m not interested." The guy glared at her and jerked away.
"This is useless. I’m never going to find him." Buffy backed away and threw up her hands in defeat. Turning to brave the stairs again, she caught a flash of purple to her right. She slowly pivoted, taking in the sight of Greg chatting to a girl on the couch. Twirling in his hand was the purple bag. The girl next to him smiled at him and laughed, reaching over to wipe something off his chin.
Eyes narrowed, Buffy made her way over to the pair.
***
End of Chapter 10
Turning his head to look at her, Spike’s eyes glittered. "Ready for another go, luv?"
Buffy’s eager grin seemed to say it all until they heard the thud of a book dropping from out in the shop. Suddenly a red flush filled Buffy’s face and she pulled away from Spike. Scurrying across the room, she kneeled in front of a cabinet.
"So, no, then?"
Buffy turned in surprise, feeling Spike’s hand spread out on her back. "No." Waving vaguely towards the door to the shop, she pulled away. "They’ll hear."
"And, you think they were struck deaf for the last fifteen minutes?"
"What? No, look, forget it. I got carried away but they’ll be waiting for us."
Buffy grabbed a pile of clothes and held them over her protectively. "I’m just going to throw on Faith’s spare workout clothes." Starting towards the bathroom, she glanced back at him. "Put your pants back on."
"You mean the ones with a hole in the rear?"
"Well—" she waved towards her disregarded pants. "Wear those. I don’t need them now."
"Didn’t you go commando?"
"So—"
"Not bloody likely."
"Fine. You figure it out." Buffy slammed the bathroom door shut and, after taking a moment to wash her face and admire her womanly curves, she pulled on the clothes. Opening the door, she said, "Look, Spike, I’m sorry. I’ve just had a long . . ." She came to a stop as she realized the workout room was empty.
"Found it." Willow held up a book and grinned at the others. "Now we just need to find Greg."
"I can take care of that," Buffy’s voice floated up the stairs. The others watched as she followed.
"Spike all better?"
Buffy blushed as she looked away from their curious eyes and answered Giles. "Yeah, he’s fine. He—uh, went home. His pants . . . he needed a new pair."
"I’ll bet." Buffy’s face grew redder at Dawn’s mumbled comment.
"You mentioned finding Greg? Leave it to me." Buffy smiled to herself, her hands curling into fists at her side. "I’ll enjoy teaching him the dangers of messing with the Slayer."
"You can’t." Tara piped up.
"I what?"
"What I mean," Tara stumbled over her words in an attempt to explain, "is that we decided to find him a girl."
"Find him a girl . . . Why?"
"Buff— I know you aren’t happy with the guy."
"Happy? Serious Understatement."
"Ok, yes, you’re a little mad," Xander ignored her as she muttered, ‘little!’ under her breath. "But he’s got more powder and we can’t guarantee he won’t use it again."
"Right, and it’s not like he’s a bad guy. He’s just—"
"A loser?" Anya offered helpfully only to have Willow glare at her for interrupting.
"No. I was going to say he just isn’t good with girls. And, I feel his pain. Girls are complicated…"
"Willow, focus."
"Sorry. Just, if we can help him, maybe we can stop him from feeling that he needs the powder."
"So, let me see if I have this straight . . . We are going to help the guy who turned me into a boy, find a girlfriend?"
"Right." The others nodded in agreement.
"Alright, but let the record show I’m not happy with this plan." Turning to Willow, Buffy asked, "What do we need to do?"
"Well, I’ve got everything I need here. You and Xander find Greg. Giles and Dawn can work on the allergy spell while Tara and I find him a match." As she continued she lead the group downstairs, placing the books in her arms on the table. "Check in with us once you find him. By then we should be able to tell you where to find his best match. Anya can meet you there with the allergy spell."
"Great." Xander turned to Buffy.
"Allergy spell?" Buffy looked confused. Xander pushed her ahead of him, out the door.
"I’ll explain on the way."
"Woaahhh, there GQ."
Greg stumbled to a halt when the cute bouncer stepped in front of him. Glancing around nervously, he spoke quickly, "I need to get in."
Faith eyed the kid, amused at his harried look. "What’s the rush? Demons chasing you down?"
"What?! No, just a crazy girl, stalking me."
Faith laughed, "Ain’t that what guys want? Girls after them?" she grinned as Greg shook his head. "Aright, kid. Got an ID?"
"ID?" She nodded to the armbands lying on the table next to the door. "Oh, no, I don’t want to drink."
Faith shrugged, "Whatever floats your boat. Have fun. Watch out for those crazy girls."
Greg sighed with relief as he mingled with the crowed in the Bronze. With the band on stage, there was barely room to move around which suited him just fine. If Buffy and her friends thought to look here for him, it wouldn’t be easy to find him.
"This is getting ridiculous. This is Sunnydale." Buffy threw up her hands in frustration. Standing across the street from the Bronze, the last place they hadn’t checked, she was beginning to fear she wouldn’t be able to find Greg.
"Maybe we should get Spike to smell—"
"No." Buffy cut off Xander, shaking her head. "I can do this. Besides, I don’t think he’d in the mood to help me right now."
"Geez. After the workout you guys got, you’d think he’d—"
"Xander!!"
"What, it’s not like you were being quiet in there."
"Let’s just check out the Bronze, ok?" Buffy grabbed Xander’s arm and started across the street. "Faith, what’s up? Seen any g—"
"Is that my shirt?"
"Huh? Oh, yeah. I needed some clothes that fit."
"Nice to see you back in form, B. Even if your form don’t fill out my shirt as nicely as I do." Faith grinned at Buffy.
"I don’t have time to spar with you right now, Faith. We need to find Greg. Can we go in?"
"You let Greg get away? Again?"
Buffy bristled, "He had more powder." She started to explain but suddenly stopped, "I’ll explain later. Willow is expecting a call from us."
"Yeah, ok. Boss ain't gonna like me lettin’ you in . . ." Faith eyed Buffy’s clothes, ". . . in that outfit. But, hey, there’s a mess of people in there. Chances are he won’t see ya." Faith stepped aside to let them through the door.
Buffy glared and muttered as she passed her, "My outfit. It’s YOUR outfit." She came to a stop almost immediately, the crowd pressing her backwards toward Xander. "Great. The one night the Bronze gets popular, I need it to be dead."
"Buffy, this way." Xander nodded to a free spot to the right, under the stairs. "You check upstairs. I’ll see if the bartender has seen him."
"The bartender?"
"Yeah, they always know everyone in these places."
"Right. Good idea." Buffy forced her way up the stairs apologizing to the girl she poked in the back with her elbow. "Excuse me. Sorry."
"Watch it, girlfriend."
"Sorry." Buffy rolled her eyes as she finally reached the landing. With the majority of the people hanging over the balcony, the crowd thinned out at on the second level. "Who is this band, anyway?" Her question went unanswered or, quite likely, even heard as the crowd broke out into shouts and cheers.
Buffy searched the people leaning over the banister. The weak light filtering out from small lamps on the scattered tables didn’t aid in the search. Grabbing one guy’s shirt, she hauled him around to face her.
"What the—back off, honey. I’m not interested." The guy glared at her and jerked away.
"This is useless. I’m never going to find him." Buffy backed away and threw up her hands in defeat. Turning to brave the stairs again, she caught a flash of purple to her right. She slowly pivoted, taking in the sight of Greg chatting to a girl on the couch. Twirling in his hand was the purple bag. The girl next to him smiled at him and laughed, reaching over to wipe something off his chin.
Eyes narrowed, Buffy made her way over to the pair.
***
End of Chapter 10