Author: Restive Nature (aka Bavite)
Disclaimer: The characters and fictional placings of either of these shows do not belong to me. They belong to Cameron/ Eglee (Dark Angel), Joss Whedon (BtVS) and Whedon/ Greenwalt (AtS). Only the story belongs to me.
Rating: PG-13 (for now)
Genre: Crossover of DA/ BtVS
Type: WiP
Timeline/ Spoilers: Post Season 5 for Buffy. Up to LAtR for DA. Story set in DA time.
Summary: BtVS/ DA crossover. Life brings about so many changes. Especially when one has just risen from the dead.
Chapter Fifteen
May 30th, 2021
9:00 a.m.
Seattle, WA
Fogle Towers
Logan took a moment to adjust the tray in his hands. He shifted it around so that the load was evenly distributed and then prepared for the trek from his kitchen to the bedroom. The guest bedroom where his cousin was still enclosed. As he shuffled his way along, he took note of everything he’d placed on the tray. Buffy’s refusal of anything to eat the previous evening, Logan had attributed to travel fatigue. He was sure that she would be hungry this morning. And just to cover all his bases, he’d made sure to include a little something of the food groups. There was oatmeal, toast, meat in the form of hard to get sausages. He’d included fruit by way of jelly and orange juice and most importantly, there was coffee. And plenty more where the first cup came from. Like everyone else in Seattle, it was a mainstay of Logan’s daily diet. The lanky hacker had the momentary impression that this fare was at least on par with what some of the local hotels were able to offer anymore these days.
When he shifted the tray and knocked on his cousin’s door, he really had to strain to hear her admit him entry. The door swung open silently on its hinges and Logan carried the tray, quickly deciding to set it on the highboy dresser. After fussing with it for a second, he turned to the lonely figure occupying the solitary chair in the room. Buffy had moved the straight-backed chair from the corner to over by the window. Her head was leaning against the thick pane of glass, a desolate expression still marring her features. She was already wearing the same clothes that she’d worn the previous day. Or maybe she had never even changed out of them. Logan cleared his throat but there was no response.
“Breakfast Buffy,” he informed her quietly. There was a lengthy pause and then she responded.
“Thank you.”
Logan’s eyes fell to the floor, still unsure how to deal with this recalcitrant version of his beloved cousin. He cleared his throat once more. “You should eat it while it’s warm.”
The pause was shorter this time. “I will.”
Logan waited expectantly for her to follow through, but was disappointed. He searched for something to say, but was saved the pains of small talk when a knock sounded at his front door.
“Excuse me,” he told Buffy politely, though there was no indication on her part that she’d noticed the disturbance. “I’ll just go get that.”
Logan vacillated about shutting the door behind him and finally decided to do so. If whoever was at the door came in, then there wouldn’t be any awkward questions that Logan wasn’t prepared to answer. He’d deal with things if by chance Buffy was curious enough to exit her room. A very long short at this point, it seemed.
But it wasn’t to be a cause for concern yet, since it was Max at the door. She smiled as she held up two shopping bags. Logan waved her in, tilting his head inquiringly. After glancing once around the apartment and not seeing Buffy, Max deposited the bags on the low coffee table before doffing her messenger bag.
“So I was talking to Cindy ‘bout what happened in California,” she began.
“You told Cindy?” Logan demanded, slightly startled. And to her credit, Max looked slightly abashed, just a degree.
“I didn’t intend to,” she hastily explained, “but it was kind of hard not to. You don’t have to worry,” she hurried to add. “Cindy’s lips are sealed.”
“Oh, no, that’s fine,” Logan shrugged. He’d learned long ago how reliable the young woman was. “Anyways,” he motioned for her to continue. Max sat on the couch and began removing items of clothing from the first bag.
“We figured that Buffy could probably use a few change of clothes until she can get some stuff of her own.” Naturally it was a logical conclusion for a person to make. “So OC and I decided to donate a few things each.”
Logan smiled as he picked up a t-shirt that he was sure he’d seen Cindy wear before. “What, no Xena logos?” he joked. Max returned his smile with one of her own.
“She’d kick anybody’s ass for ever suggesting she give up her Xena,” she assured him. Logan dropped the shirt on the small pile and reached for the other bag, upturning it easily. His brow furrowed as he took in the brand new items of the feminine nature.
“And then I stopped at the store for anything else I thought she might need right away,” Max finished. She quickly gathered up the largesse, figuring that Logan probably wasn’t interested in the plain white cotton bikini undies his cousin would wear. Her assumption proved correct as Logan moved to replace the other clothes into the first bag.
“I wasn’t aware that the store was open so early in the morning,” he teased.
“Well, not to the general populace,” Max retorted archly.
“But you were a special case?” he asked lightly, knowing exactly how she’d accrued these items.
“Always,” she quipped. She placed the last item, some deodorant, in the bag and leaned it against its counterpart. She stood suddenly, smoothing down the thighs o her pants. “Well, I should go.”
“Yeah, yeah,” Logan stepped back, unsure at the sudden change in conversational direction. “Are you going to work?”
“Yeah,” Max nodded as she picked up her messenger bag. She fit it over her shoulder and fiddled a bit with the zipper. “Normal’s short some workers and Alec and I figured we better head in.”
“Okay. Well, I won’t keep you,” Logan acquiesced. As he followed her to the door, he happened to catch sight down the hallway of Buffy’s door slightly cracked open. “You know,” he spoke slowly, as if the thought had just occurred to him. “Maybe you could come over later tonight and help us out. You know, figure out where to go from here.” He had lowered his voice to a whisper. Max’s face was thoughtful as she mulled over his invitation. He noticed that she was staring down the hallway, at Buffy’s door and he wondered if she realized that Buffy was in there, probably listening.
“I wouldn’t want to intrude,” she offered, her voice raised slightly, confirming Logan’s suspicion. He glanced behind himself, but didn’t see any indication of his cousin. “Well, you can call me later and we’ll decide then.”
Max nodded and opened the door. “Do you want me to bring Alec? In case I do come?”
Logan resisted the urge to frown and instead chose to recall what a help the young man had been. And might still be if Buffy was intent on her monk-like ways. “Sure,” he finally agreed, striving for amicable. “If he hasn’t any other plans, he’ll be welcome.”
“Okay,” Max stated with a small sigh of relief. “I’ll tell him and then I’ll call you after work.”
“Sounds good,” Logan returned, but Max had already slipped out the door to retrieve her bike that she’d left in the hallway.
May 30th, 2021
9:20 a.m.
Seattle, WA
Jam Pony
“Man oh man,” Normal’s voice was slightly higher pitched than usual. A fact that Alec credited to either stress of the excitement of seeing his favorite employee returned. Probably both, he decided as he pasted on the phony smile he wore as he worked. Charming and cocky, with just a hint of boyish enthusiasm. It was enough to disarm the majority of people he encountered during the day.
“It is so good to see you,” Normal continued.
“It’s good to be back,” Alec sated simply. Before anything else could be said, another influx of workers poured in through the door, as unexcited as usual to be there. Alec and Normal both caught sight of Sketchy and right behind him, Cindy. After greeting some others and settling their bikes, the duo reached the counter.
“So where’s the last reprobate?” Normal asked tiredly of Cindy. His eyes darted over to Alec again, “She didn’t die again, did she?” Alec was startled to hear the underlying note of concern from his employer. But Cindy’s disgusted scoff took the look immediately from his face and he forced himself to chuckle.
“Home girl’s back, but she gonna be late,” Cindy told him dismissively.
“Oh for the love of Mike,” Normal whined, looking heavenward. “What now?”
“A friend of ours lost everything in a fire,” Cindy explained easily. “Max is takin’ her some essentials for her to use ‘til she can get back on her feet.”
“While that’s very kind of her,” Normal sighed in exasperation, rubbing his forefinger over his upper lip,” why couldn’t you have taken those things to your friend?”
“’Cause she’s stayin’ with her cousin and I don’t know the man that well,” Cindy stated, crossing her arms, silently daring anyone to challenge her logic, or authority on the manner. And true to form, they gave up as quickly as they’d started. Normal moved off to begin pulling out packages for the kids to deliver and the trio of friends moved off towards their lockers, greeting others as they moved.
Sketchy was done at his locker first and leaned against the wall, while Cindy carefully and artfully arranged her head scarf in the tiny mirror she kept in her compartment. Alec paid them little heed, but heard their conversation nonetheless.
“So who’s this friend?” Sketchy demanded. “Do I know her?”
“You don’t,” Cindy answered succinctly.
“Is she hot?” was his next question and Alec smiled reflexively. Sketchy was always on the make and he knew exactly where his thoughts were going.
“Sketch!” Cindy was only slightly outraged. Possibly because she was unable to answer, having never met Buffy.
“Hey,” he protested, a leering grin on his face, ”even the beautiful have need of occasional sympathy and I am in the unique situation of being able to provide such sympathy.”
“Oh really?” Cindy demanded scathingly, slamming her locker door shut. “And when did you ever lose your home from a fire?”
“Well technically speaking,” Sketchy paused, “never. But I have lost many personal items of importance due to negligence during periods of…” there was a small pause as Sketchy considered how to phrase his experience to show himself in the best light possible, but Cindy broke in.
“Setting your pants on fire ‘cause you fell asleep smokin’ yo’ ganja, does not rate, Sketch!”
Alec could see the flood of embarrassment rising up in Sketchy’s face at having been routed by Cindy’s keen memory.
“It does too,” the skinny man retorted. “But that doesn’t answer my question. Is this friend hot and needy? Or is she even straight at all, considering…”
“Considerin’ what Sketch?” Alec asked, finally jumping into the conversation. “That she’s Cindy’s friend?” he answered for the other man. “She’s Max’s friend too. So what does that make Max?” Thankfully that took Sketchy off on another tangent as they all three, moved off to receive their first run of what promised to be a long day.
*****
Max caught up to Alec close to lunch time. She apprised him of the situation as she had left it at Logan’s. Both wondered quietly if Buffy had indeed been listening in to the conversation between her cousin and Max. If she had, both thought it could be a good sign. But as Alec pointed out, it could merely have been that the door hadn’t been properly shut. Either way, they decided that it was probably best for them to run some interference between the cousins. They both realized, as it was entirely noticeable on the trip home, that Logan had too great of expectations. And Buffy was just unable and unwilling to fulfill them. And besides, they were undeniably curious as to this new enigma in their lives. So it was decided and Max felt a little lighter now that the decision was made. After work was over, she called from the Jam Pony headquarters. She agreed with Alec that they’d head over as soon as convenient, and with the hopes that Logan would feed them.
Chapter Sixteen
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