UNNYDALE
"Are we ready?" Giles said, looking at the assembled group. By the time
everyone had packed it and met up at the Summers' house the sun was setting.
"Just about." Dawn replied, dragging a large trunk behind her.
"Uh, Dawnie, we're not moving there." Xander replied, raising an eyebrow.
"I know that." Dawn replied, testily as she struggled with trunk.
"What's in the trunk?" Willow said, trying to show some interest.
"Oh, just weapons." Dawn said proudly, excited about being part of her first
official Scooby mission.
'Weapons?" Buffy questioned, looking up from her suitcase and examining what
Dawn had assembled. "Hey, that's my axe!"
"Well, I didn't think you'd MIND." Dawn said meekly.
"Uh, and how do you think you're going to get on a plane with that stuff?"
Xander asked in amazement.
"Well, I don't look like a terrorist!" Dawn protested.
"And Anya doesn't look like a demon." Xander countered.
"I don't?" Anya said, flattered. "Hey, what's WRONG with looking like a demon?"
"Well, oh, look it's Willow!" Xander turned to Willow, and hugged her as if he
hadn't seen her in years.
"Thanks, Xander. I think." Willow said softly, not fully returning the hug.
"One little wish." Anya muttered.
"No wishing." Buffy said shooting a glare at Anya.
"Well, uh, I can't bring the weapons then?" Dawn asked.
"NO!" The rest of the Scoobies chorused.
"But how are we gonna defend ourselves? I mean, can't I at least take a stake?"
Dawn asked pointedly.
"Ooo! We're flying first class?" Anya asked excitedly, thrilled at the prospect
of it.
"What?" Willow asked, clearly confused.
"She meant a wooden stake, Anya, not fillet mignon." Buffy replied with a slight
eye roll. This was going to be one LONG trip.
"Well, can I help it if expensive cuts of meat make a voyage more exciting?"
Anya shot back.
"Look, we really must be going," Giles cut in, "Dawn, leave the weapons here, I
know some people in Chicago who can get us what we need."
As Giles lead the way to the van, Xander interjected, "Hey, Giles, happen to
have any OTHER connections in Chicago?"
"Get in the car, Xander." Giles replied with mild annoyance. If the bloody
boy hadn't saved the world last week, he would have let him have it.
"So we AREN'T flying first class?" Anya spoke up, the disappointment evident in
her voice.
"No, Anya." Xander said rolling his eyes.
"Well, if THAT'S the case." Anya began and teleported herself away.
"Well, that's one less ticket to get." Buffy said with a shrug.
They drove off, minus Anya, of course to the airport.
**********
"Look, I need a bloody ticket on that flight to Chicago." Spike said glaring at
the counter clerk.
"Um, I understand sir, but the flight is boarding." The young clerk replied and
winced.
"Then make it bloody wait." Spike said forcefully. He wanted to make sure he
beat the Scoobies to Chicago; he didn't want his first meeting with Buffy to be
on the airplane.
"Um, sir." The clerk trembled. "I really can't."
Well, desperate times call for desperate measures, Spike reasoned and morphed
into full vampire face. "You were saying." He growled.
"One ticket coming up." The kid trembled and handed Spike the ticket.
Spike returned to normal as he grabbed the ticket. "All I was asking for." He
heard the overhead boarding call then and dashed off to the gate.
The clerk was still getting over the shock when Giles lead the gang up to the
desk. "Five tickets on the first flight to Chicago."
"Well, the other flight just boarded, next one's not for two hours." The clerk
trembled, not again.
"Two hours?" Buffy said irritated.
"Yes, please don't kill me." The clerk said, ducking his head and putting his
hands up.
"Uh, why would we kill you?" Dawn asked, the confusion evident in her voice.
"The other guy got all funny when I told him he couldn't get a ticket." The
clerk muttered.
"What other guy?" Willow asked skeptically.
"He was all in black." The clerk began.
"Day glow hair, made a scary face?" Buffy supplied
"Yeah, that's him." He whimpered in response.
"Spike." Xander said angrily.
"It would appear so." Giles confirmed. "Did he say why he was going to
Chicago?"
"No, just wanted a ticket really badly." The clerk winced at the memory.
"Really, REALLY badly."
"Great." Buffy muttered. "Looks like it's reunion time."
**********
Six hours later, they finally landed in Chicago.
"I didn't like that plane. it was too bumpy." Dawn whined.
"So this is Chicago..doesn't seem that windy to me." Xander said looking around.
"Uh, Xander we're in an airport." Buffy said as they tried to locate baggage
claim.
"Still, I thought it'd be like. windier." He said looking clearly let down.
"Maybe it is outside." Willow said softly, wishing she'd just stayed home.
Dawn spied a window, looked outside and grimaced. "It's RAINING." She said
pointedly.
"Yeah, well, you won't melt, Dawnie." Buffy said with a shrug.
"Even witches don't melt in the rain, it's a myth." Willow added.
"I know that." Dawn sniped.
"Whatever." Buffy rolled her eyes as they reached baggage claim.
"Took you guys long enough." Anya said standing up from the bench she was
sitting on.
"Well, excuse me for being human and having to go through a security check."
Xander griped as he reached for his bag.
"Play nicely." Giles ordered as he reached down for his bag.
"Oh, you'll need these." Anya said passing a bag to Buffy.
Buffy opened it and looked up at Anya in surprise.
"What? I think of things!" Anya said defensively.
"What'd you get, Buffy?" Dawn asked excitedly then pulled back when she saw the
bag full of wooden stakes, holy water and crosses.
"The metal stuff is out in the car." Anya added in a low voice.
"Good job." Giles said impressed and squirmed uncomfortably when Anya blushed.
"More importantly, I got a great deal on the rental car!" Anya exclaimed
happily. "I saved us a lot of money!"
Buffy smiled in spite of herself. "That's great, An." She glanced around at
the rest of the crew who had been grabbing their bags during the conversation.
"Are we ready?"
"Wait, I'm not!" Dawn protested. "My bag didn't come out yet!"
"See, that's the problem with air travel, little in the way of quality control
these days." Anya responded.
"The belt's probably stuck." Xander observed as the belt stopped moving. "I'll
get it."
"Xander, I really don't think that's a good idea." Willow responded.
"Nah, don't worry about it." Xander replied hopping up onto the belt and headed
to the end of the conveyor.
"Xander, you probably shouldn't do that." Buffy warned.
"Geez, don't be such wusses girls." Xander said with a laugh. "I'm from
Sunnydale, remember?"
"Aha! I found the problem, it's blocked." Xander said, peering into the entrance
to the bag chute.
"Xander, be careful." Anya found herself warning.
"I saved the world, I think I can handle a blocked baggage chute." Xander
replied, trying to yank at what was causing the obstruction.
"Um, Xander, maybe you should be careful." Dawn said timidly.
Xander gave a final yank and pulled Dawn's bag from the chute. He stood there
triumphantly for a second before the belt began to move and he fell headfirst
into a nearby pole.
Xander yelped as he lost consciousness.
"I told him to be careful." Anya said with a sigh as the others rushed to
Xander's side.
"He's alive." Giles replied with relief in his voice as he the unconscious
Xander's pulse.
"We better get him to a hospital." Buffy replied.
"I'll call the ambulance." Willow volunteered and headed for the nearest pay
phone.
"Thanks for getting my bag." Dawn said meekly as she approached Xander's side.
To be continued...
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