sometimes people leave you halfway through the wood

[madskilled]

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[blackstarred]

[She nods, and Gloria returns to her room as well, leaving Mia alone in the suite. She takes a breath, before picking up her phone and trying Buffy first.]

[attainathons]

( Buffy flips down from the balance beam, grabs a rag and dabs her neck as she hears the vibrations coming from her phone. She brings it to her ear. )

Hey, Mia. Is Stefan there?

[blackstarred]

Stefan's coming?

[She hadn't gotten that information from Faith.]

No, not yet.

[attainathons]

Oh, I thought that's why you're calling. Sorry. What's up?

( She leans against the pummel horse. )

[blackstarred]

[She swallows hard.]

So. During the attack, on the coven?

[How does she say this? Maybe she really should have let Faith take this.]

Spike's dead, Buffy.

[It's blunt, but ninety percent of the time, that's how Mia rolls.]

[attainathons]

Yes...

( What, Mia? Except. She says it. Quickly. She goes from curious and smiling to reality crashing in. Her smile breaks, phone frozen to her face. She has history with Spike, ancient history, sometimes it feels like, but she'll always feel something for him. like Angel. )

How.

[blackstarred]

A building collapsed during the attack. We were trying to get some people out, but the hunters were waiting on a roof nearby. When he stepped out of the building, they got him with a crossbow.

[It was as sudden and quick as she had said it, honestly. One minute he was there, the next he wasn't.]

I'm sorry.

[Whether it's because she failed, or just because he's dead, it's hard to say.]

[attainathons]

It's the risk of the job.

( And her calling. He balances against the pummel horse, elbows holding herself up. )

He lived a long life, his second, technically. I watched him die once.

( It took him time to burn up, but, he did. )

It was your first. Are you okay?

[blackstarred]

Yeah.

[That's a lie. She is not okay. Her brother was in that building, and it could have just as easily been him who had caught that arrow. Buffy doesn't know that though, so she lies.

Lying's easier than having people worry about her.]

Yeah, I'm okay.

[attainathons]

It's okay if you're not. Slayers, we don't have to be strong. Not when we don't have to be.

( For a long time, she was the tower, the rock. But, she has emotions, too. Keeping friends and family, feeling connected, that's what kept her going. That's what made her strong. )

[blackstarred]

[There's a long period of silence, before:]

It's not just Spike.

[And then, like a flood of words she can't stop.]

My brother was in that building. I didn't even know he was in Europe. Spike smells blood and hears voices and the next thing I know he's there, in the rubble. And now I have to call my dad or he will, and I have no idea what I'm going to say.

[attainathons]

( Ironically, though. )

And I was just about to ask if you wanted to contact your family. It's easy to forget we're not alone. Slaying, it's only recently become a group activity and even then, heavy is the hand that holds the stake. Your brother's okay?

[blackstarred]

Yeah, he's okay.

[Thankfully. She doesn't know what she would have done if things had been different.]

Did you ever do the whole disappearing off the face of the planet thing when you first became a Slayer?

[She probably didn't, Buffy always seems like she had it way more together, but Mia figures it's worth asking.]

[attainathons]

Oh yeah. ( She switches the phone to her other ear, she she moves away from the pummel horse. ) My mom actually kicked me out and I spent most of the summer before my senior year in Los Angeles. I lied about my name. I waited tables. I disappeared. But, being a slayer isn't a job. It's a calling. Escaping me wasn't on the menu.

( And her mom hadn't actually wanted her gone. )

And there were other times, too. Days, weekends you need away. Especially when the going gets tough. Sometimes, the tough just need to... disappear. But, those same toughs have families. You have a very high profile family.

[blackstarred]

Tell me about it.

[She doesn't know what would have happened if her Calling hadn't coincided with a few other big life changes.]

Trust me, I'm honestly surprised that a legion of superheroes hasn't come knocking on our door trying to find out where I am. For my dad, this is restraint.

[attainathons]

We're also off the grid. Purposefully. But, don't you think it's time?

( She's not a mother, but. She is a sister. She's given talks like this before. )

[blackstarred]

Maybe.

[There's part of her that does want to talk to her dad, and is thinking that she should have called him sooner. But she's stubborn enough not to admit it outright.]

Besides, it's not like William is giving me much of a choice.

[attainathons]

The sibling ultimatum, I know it well. Can I do anything else?

( She'll be texting Stefan shortly, too. )

[blackstarred]

No, I think we're good for now. But you might have to make space for William back at the castle depending on how things go from here.

[Or she might be stepping out to make sure that William doesn't get himself killed following Isaac.]

[attainathons]

Done. If you need it, he can have a room. But, maybe ask him if he wants one.

( Either way, it will be there. )

[blackstarred]

I will. But he's got his own crusade he's following.

[Wherever that may happen to take him.]

Thanks, Buffy.

[attainathons]

Sounds like a story.

( And like Dawn. )

Do you want me there?

[blackstarred]

No, I think we're okay for now.

[They're not going to try another attack like they had so soon.]

But I'll keep you posted once I know more.

[attainathons]

How is Faith.

( She and Spike always had a weird connection, one Buffy never questioned. Maybe because they were both smokers. )

[blackstarred]

She sounded okay on the phone. She's still stuck in witch town, but I'll let you know when I see her.

[Whenever Faith happens to return.]