Halloween 2000

by GylzGirl

You are busying yourself washing the glass cases inside "The Magic Box". Anya really wanted to go to a party with Xander and the rest of the gang. You knew that Rupert was going to have to be out of town for part of the evening, securing some herbal supplies that could only be properly created on Halloween night. Before he had a chance to curtail her plans, you jumped in and offered to work her shift. Of course it was only then that Rupert decided to enforce a mandatory costume rule. So here you are on your favorite holiday, all by your lonesome and dressed up in the shortest Go-Go Girl outfit you think he could find for you.

All in all it's been a slow night. The true magical practitioners in the area are for the most part observing their religious holiday. You've only had one or two come in for replacement supplies needed for ceremonies. The "crystal ball" lot are all off at costume parties so you've mainly been cleaning.

As you are wiping down the counter top, you hear the back door open and shut. "Rupert? Is that you?" You're a little uneasy because during store hours, Giles normally uses the main entrance. You are trying to see into the back and accidentally drop the cloth you were cleaning with onto the floor. You bend to pick it up and when you stand again, you find yourself face to face with none other than Ethan Rayne. As you inhale to scream, he places his hand palm up in front of his face and blows. A cloud of white powder comes toward your face and you find yourself unable to breathe. You wobble back a step and find yourself falling as you black out.

Ethan moves forward and catches you before you hit the floor. Holding you with one arm, he fishes in his pocket and removes a folded paper which he casually throws onto the counter. He effortlessly slings you up over his shoulder and proceeds to carry you out the front door.

He closes the door behind himself and gets a smug smirk on his face as he steps onto the sidewalk out front. One that fades rapidly as he sees a red convertible down the street go from doing the speed limit to barreling towards the two of you. He recognizes Rupert behind the wheel and can tell that he has identified you both.

Looking left and right in a near panic, Ethan darts back inside the shop. His hands clutch your upper thighs tightly as he weaves around the counters in an effort to escape out the back. As soon as he opens the door, Rupert's car screeches to a halt in the alley outside and he very angrily jumps out of it.

Ethan shuts the door and once more runs for the front. In his haste, and hearing the back door open, he runs right into the front counter, promptly launching you off of his shoulder and over the countertop onto the floor before it. Hearing Giles' running footsteps, Ethan vaults over the counter, runs out the front door and into the night.

Rupert makes it to the counter and vaults it as well, preparing to chase after him when he notices your unconscious form on the floor beside him. Heart thumping wildly, he drops to his knees on the floor and pulls you across his lap. His shaking hand goes to your neck. He breathes a sigh of relief when he finds a strong pulse there. Quickly he inspects you for other injuries and when he finds none, he lifts you into his arms and carries you into the back room.

When you wake up again, everything is hazy. You're having trouble focusing but you do remember Ethan Rayne. Before you can even see properly, you are trying to scramble to your feet. Soon you feel strong masculine hands trying to push you back down. You struggle against them until your head clears enough that you can understand the voice that is trying to calm you. When you recognize it as Rupert's, you relax and let him pull you into his arms.

"Are you all right Love?" His hands stroke your hair.

You nod against him. "Ethan..."

"He's gone. I scared him away."

"Why did he..."

"I don't know Love. The important thing is he didn't get you. You're safe now."

He pulls back a moment to look into your eyes before leaning down and kissing you. "I've locked the back door. I'm going to go into the front for just a minute and shut everything down. Then I'll come back for you and we'll go home, all right?" You nod and he kisses you again before leaving. You pull the thin throw blanket back up to your neck and curl up on the small sofa.

Giles shuts off all the lights except the display windows, the back room and one light in the main part of the shop. He stops and picks up Ethan's note one more time, his eyes glancing across the writing there.

Angrily, Rupert crumples up the note and tosses it in the waste paper basket as he makes his way back to you.

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The character of Rupert Giles and the show Buffy the Vampire Slayer were created by Joss Whedon and are © Fox. No infringement is intended and no profits are being made.