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Series: Recycled
Title: Masquerade - Part Three
Author: Sassette
Feedback: Can be sent to
pink_overalls@yahoo.com Summary: An alternate Halloween episode for Season 6.
Spoiler Warning: Up to but not including 'All the Way' Season Six.
Disclaimer: I don't own these characters, I'm not making any money off of them, blah blah blah…
Rating: ehhh... let's go with ... R. Or maybe R+
WARNING: I probably should have mentioned this before, but three nerds we all love to hate appear heavily in this fic. However, in this part, the reason why the nerds HAD to be here becomes clear.
Recycled Series
Masquerade - Part Three
By Sassette
"You said you'd help - you volunteered!" Anya said, her voice indignant. "And now you expect wages?" she demanded, glaring at her one-time friend. She just didn't know anymore - what kind of friend volunteered to help with something for >free< and then asked for money?
"Anya," Tara said, her voice as patient as she could manage given the persistent ache between her legs. She was >so< going to get Willow back for this. But later - much later. "I'm not asking for wages. I'm asking if I can just >borrow< a dollar. That's it. Just one dollar," Tara explained.
"Borrow? As in, a loan? Well, what kind of collateral do you have? And what kind of interest rate are we talking?" Anya asked, suddenly intrigued by the idea.
"Anya - I know this is going to sound like I'm making this up, but I promise I'm not," Tara said slowly. "When a friend asks if they can borrow a dollar, you're supposed to say 'yes', then hand over a dollar. Then the friend gives you back just the one dollar the next day."
"A whole day later? With no profit?" Anya asked, completely aghast at the suggestion. "But … but … what if I could do something with that dollar? What if I needed it - or, or I had a way to make that dollar into twenty dollars? What kind of crazed lunatic would give someone a dollar for a day?"
"I swear," Tara said with utmost sincerity. "It's a human thing - we give our friends teeny tiny little loans at no interest all the time."
"That makes no sense," Anya said, shaking her head slowly. "But I'll think about it, because you're my friend," she offered generously. "Now get back to work."
"Or you'll garnish my wages?" Tara asked with a slight smile, wandering back into the crowd to help more customers. She had no idea what had possessed her to ask Anya for a dollar. Well, that was a lie - she knew exactly what had possessed her, and that something was standing about five feet away and looking absolutely yummy. Still - why had she asked Anya? Anya was probably the least likely to actually say yes - but then again, Anya was the most likely to actually >have< a dollar.
"Oh, my God!" Dawn said, rushing over to Tara with a little bounce in her step, squealing, the earrings she had borrowed from Tara waving with joy as she fidgeted excitedly. "You will never ever guess what just happened," she said excitedly, jumping in place.
"What?" Tara asked, a smile lighting her features at Dawn's obvious excitement. She couldn't help but thank the Goddess for bringing this young woman into her life - with her family, she had always been both excited by and fearful of the prospect of ever having a younger sister. She had hoped and prayed that she could have had a life that would allow her to have a sister, without her sister being subjected to the things she and her mother had endured. It had always seemed impossible, and yet … here was Dawn, the sister of her heart.
"Dave from my math class just came in and bought a few candles," she said, grinning broadly.
"Dave? That's the cute smart one, right?" Tara asked, a grin to match Dawn's growing.
"Uh-huh," Dawn affirmed. "And -" she added grandly, "he gave me a tip!" Dawn brandished the dollar bill under Tara's nose, beaming proudly.
"A … tip?" Tara asked, entranced by the fluttering green piece of paper oh so very close, and yet so very far. There was no way she could take money for Dawn - she couldn't possibly ask Dawn for a dollar. Then again, she'd pay her back … it's not like she was >stealing< money, right? No, Bad Tara, she scolded herself inwardly. There was something inherently wrong in taking money from someone who was like a younger sister. But then again … Dawn certainly wouldn't say no …
"Yup … and look here," she said, holding the dollar bill steady and pointing to a section.
"Dawn … that's a phone number," Tara said slowly, her ship of hopes dashed against the rocks of poverty in the stormy seas of sexual frustration.
"I know," Dawn said, squealing again and bouncing some more.
"Dawn, that's wonderful," Tara said, shaking off her bad naughty thoughts and letting herself be genuinely happy for Dawn. She had spent the past month listening to stories about the wonderful marvelous Dave, and how someone so very cool couldn't possibly be interested in someone like Dawn. "I told you so," she said with a smirk. And she had - many times she had said that if the boy was really as smart and wonderful as Dawn said, then he would definitely be smart and wonderful enough to be interested in Dawn.
"Yeah, you did, didn't you?" Dawn said with a smile, hugging Tara quickly, then dashing off. "Thanks, Tara," she called out, getting back to work.
"What was that all about?" a low voice asked in her ear, making Tara jump slightly even as a shiver traced up her spine. She closed her eyes for a moment, drawing in a shaky breath as she felt her nipples harden.
"Dave just tipped Dawn a dollar … with his phone number written on it," Tara said, trying to keep her mind on the matter at hand instead of what bits of WillowMatter she wanted her hands on.
"Ahh, young love," Willow said, smiling broadly. "Is she excited? I bet she's excited."
"What - you didn't hear the squeals?" Tara asked, an indulgent look on her face as she looked over at an animated Dawn helping a customer.
"Is that what that was?" Willow asked innocently. "I thought someone had summoned a demon or something."
"Nope - that was the excited utterance of the Wild Southern Californian Dawn in her natural habitat," Tara said.
"No more Discovery Channel for you," Willow said, squeezing Tara's hand fondly, a warm look on her face. "So - did anybody … tip you?" she asked slowly, the warm look in her eyes morphing into something Tara could only term 'hot' as she boldly looked Tara up and down.
"Umm … no," Tara said, shaking her head. "But if you'd like to come back to the house when we're done here, I can …"
"Oh, no … we're going with the gang to the Bronze, remember? Dawn's so excited about it," Willow pointed out.
"You are a wicked, wicked woman," Tara said, a soft groan escaping her.
"Yes, I know," Willow said with a wink before sauntering off to help the next customer.
With a sigh, Tara looked around the store for someone to help, seeing that the rest of the Scoobies seemed to have it covered. She couldn't help the resentful look on her face as she took in the happy countenances of the customers. They had money and were buying exactly what they wanted, and it damn well wasn't fair. Straightening a few items on the shelves, Tara looked around again, spotting Xander standing in the corner trying not to look uncomfortable in his tweed suit.
"Hey, Xander," Tara said, walking up to the young man.
"Hey Tara - that's a great outfit," he said with an easy grin. "And Willow seems to like it," he went on, waggling his eyebrows outrageously.
"Umm … yeah," Tara said, lowing her head and blushing. If she was any judge of Willow's moods - and she was - then Willow definitely liked it. In fact, Willow liked it a >whole< lot … and if she could only get her hands on a dollar, then Willow would show her just how much she liked it.
"So … you two heading out the Bronze with us tonight, or do you have … special plans?" he asked, waggling his eyebrows outrageously again.
"Oh, no - we're going to the Bronze," Tara said quickly. She knew very well that Xander was only half-joking when he made these kinds of comments, but she knew they were mostly the result of being the only guy in a group made up of girls - Giles didn't really count, Tara decided, because he was older. Still, she could see Xander feeling the need to assert his masculinity, or something stupid and macho like that, and she had never really found his comments offensive, though they probably would be coming from someone else.
"Great!" Xander said, rubbing his hands together with glee. "I am payday man, and shall buy many beverages for all my favorite girls," he said, sticking out his chest and striking a heroic pose.
"Umm … speaking of being payday man," Tara said slowly, inwardly wondering why the heck she was doing this. First Anya, then she had almost hit up a teenager for money, and now someone who would be far too happy about what she was going to >do< with that dollar.
But no, she knew why she was doing this - she just hadn't had any idea that she had the gumption to run around trying to borrow a dollar off of her friends so she could go have sex in the storage room. Or, in fact, that Willow would have the nerve to charge her. Willow would certainly enjoy it as much as she did. "Could I borrow a dollar?" she asked in a rush, getting the words out before she could change her mind.
"A dollar? Sure," Xander said easily, before tacking on the one word Tara had hoped she wouldn't hear. "Why?"
"W-w-why?" Tara asked. "Umm … I, uhh … don't have any money on me, and I was, umm …thinking of … going and getting a soda?" she said hesitantly.
"Oh, great," Xander said cheerfully, pulling out his wallet and grabbing a five dollar bill. "Get me one too?" he asked. "I'd offer to go fetch, but if I leave, I'm a bad boyfriend, but if you leave, you're just a bad friend," he said, a pathetic pleading look on his face. "You can even keep the change," he said quickly, when Tara cast a dubious look his way.
"Really?" Tara asked eagerly. "I mean," she went on, quickly composing herself before Xander started asking question. "Umm … you don't have to let me have the change."
"You'll be risking the wrath of Anya," Xander said gravely. "Consider it combat pay."
"Thanks, Xander," Tara said with a little smile, heading quickly to the door before Anya noticed her ducking out or any customers could stop her. She was a woman with a mission. Just a little stop at the Quickie-Mart, then she could corral Willow in the storage room for a little stop at her red-headed Quickie-Mart.
Tara paused outside the doorway of the shop, her mind racing. Was she really going to do this? Buy some sodas, then hand over money to Willow in exchange for sex in the storage room, where any one of their friends could walk in on them?
She closed her eyes briefly, taking a steadying breath, then started on her way to the Quickie-Mart. Yes, yes she was. It certainly wouldn't be the first time they'd snuck off together in a semi-public setting, and it probably wouldn't be the last … and with the way Willow looked in her saloon-girl get-up, Tara was fairly sure her brain would explode long before they got home if they didn't make a little time for themselves. Besides - Anya heartily approved of the exchange of money for goods and services in her shop.
And as long as no one walked in on them, everything would be perfect.
***********************************************************************
"This is stupid," Jonathon said grumpily in the back of the van, his Spiderman mask sitting in his hands. "We've already robbed the museum."
"But they've just got in a new exhibit," Warren said, as if speaking to a small child. "Dumbass," he tacked on.
"I am not," Jonathon said. "But we've done this - I thought we were supposed to 'think big'," he said, his tone mocking as he echoed Warren's words.
"This >is< big," Warren insisted. "This is the single most comprehensive display of Civil War memorabilia to ever travel from town to town. They've got guns, they've got uniforms, money, documents … the whole nine yards!"
"Yeah, well, some of us aren't as into the Civil War as you are," Jonathon said sourly. "I don't care about the Civil War."
"Look … anybody can steal money, right?" he said, looking to Andrew for support and smiling when Andrew nodded his agreement. "But we're going to steal history … and we're going to >make< history."
"Yeah," Andrew piped in.
"I still don't see why -" Jonathon began, only to be cut off by Warren.
"Look - how about you stay and watch the monitors since you think this is a dumb idea… make sure we don't trip any silent alarms, and Andrew and I will head in, okay?" Warren asked. "And next time, if you don't think what I do with the stuff we get is 'cool' enough for you, we'll go with one of your plans, okay?"
"Yeah, sure," Jonathon said, moving to sit in the seat facing the bank of monitors as Andrew and Warren slipped out the door.
"So what are you going to do with the stuff?" Andrew asked, following Warren eagerly as they made their way towards the museum.
"That's for me to know and you to find out," Warren said with a smirk, donning his Dr. Doom mask.
"Oh, come on," Andrew wheedled.
"Fine," Warren said shortly, his voice echoing strangely from behind the mask. "I think I've figured out how to make a time machine, but I need actual objects from the time period I want to go to in order to test it," he said, his tone exasperated.
"What?" Andrew squeaked. "A time machine? Are you serious?" he asked, his eyes wide.
"Of course I'm serious," Warren said, smacking Andrew lightly upside the head. "I'm as serious as a heart attack."
"Oh, well … I guess … that >is< kind of cool," Andrew said slowly, trying to look like a menacing vampire.
**************************************************************
"I got the soda," Tara sing-songed happily, heading back to the Magic Box, swinging the bag with the soda in it in one hand, and her hobby horse in the other. It was, to her mind, a vital part of the costume, but she wasn't sure how far Willow's horse fear extended, so she had left it outside the shop. Which was, really, what one should always do with a horse anyway. Horses didn't belong inside.
She grinned widely as she walked, unable to stop her good spirits or her excitement as she contemplated playing with Willow's 'Magic Box'. People passing looked at her strangely, but she didn't notice or care, way too focused on her goal.
"Tara - where have you been?" Anya demanded as soon as she set foot in the shop.
"I … I w-went to, umm …get a soda?" she said hesitantly, stopping short at Anya's angry glare.
"Fine," Anya said. "We're completely out of black candles - everyone wants black candles on Halloween. I sent Willow to go get some more out of the training room - so go help her."
"Oh, yeah," Tara said with a smirk, shoving her bag of soda into Anya's hands and dashing off to the training room quickly.
"She's certainly excited about commerce today," Anya said, a puzzled look on her face.
"She's gonna' make out with Willow," Dawn said as she walked by. She stopped up short when Anya grabbed her arm and spun her around.
"What?" Anya said. "But … but there's work to be done - money to be made!"
"And they'll get the candles … just … don't expect them to get them anytime soon," Dawn said with a little smile.
"That is so not fair," Anya grumbled, skating back behind the counter to make the cash transaction. "But Go Tara," she said quietly, smiling to herself as she rang up purchases. The sale was almost over anyway, and closing time would be soon - she didn't really need to sell any more black candles.
**********************************************************************
"This sucks," Jonathon said, looking at the monitors. He could see Andrew making goofy faces into Warren's video link, and the erratic frames that followed when Warren smacked him. A small tussle ensued, and Jonathon sighed.
Chewing on his lower lip, he looked over at the cardboard box he had brought with him. Should he? He had been working on this for over a year, and it was the right time. The spell had needed some modification, but he had gone over everything he needed over and over, and he was sure everything was perfect.
Except …
He looked at the monitors again, seeing Warren and Andrew rifling through a storage area in the back. Why did he hang out with these guys?
Okay, stupid question, he told himself silently. Warren and Andrew were the only people who really understood him, and liked the things he liked, and they had lots in common to talk about and stuff …
But Super Villains? Why be Super Villains? If they had the means to be 'Super' … why wouldn't they want to be Super Heroes … like Buffy?
"That's it," Jonathon said, getting out of his seat and sitting cross-legged on the floor of the van. "They can be Super Villains all they want, but I'm done with that crap," he muttered, pulling the cardboard box towards him. He pulled out the incense he had bought that afternoon, a small statue, a candle and his magic bone.
This would be fine - it wasn't like the spell he had done to make himself cool. No, that had affected everyone in Sunnydale, and made them think things that weren't true, and it had been wrong to cast it. This, however - this was totally different. He had rearranged things to get a localized effect. No one but him would be under the influence of the spell - and everyone would have their true and real reactions to the new and improved Jonathon.
Taking a deep steadying breath, he arranged the items, and lit the candle, beginning to chant. As the chant neared the end, he lit the incense.
*************************************************************
"Why, Miss Willow - what are you doing back here all by your lonesome?" Tara asked, stalking slowly towards her girlfriend, her hot gaze raking up and down her body.
"Umm … I, uhh … hi," Willow squeaked, her eyes widening as she saw Tara moving steadily towards her, her intent very clear in her eyes.
"I believe we were interrupted in our … negotiations?" Tara said lightly, entering Willow's personal space and continuing to move forward until Willow's back was pressed against the wall, Tara's steadying hands on her waist keeping her upright.
"Umm … negotiations. Right," Willow said unsteadily, caught up in Tara's eyes.
"Here," Tara said, reaching into her pocket and pulling out a dollar, not even noticing when several coins clattered onto the floor, her eyes never leaving Willow's. Carefully, she folded the bill in half, tucking it into Willow's bodice with shaky fingers. "Want you … now," Tara said, unable to think anything more complicated than that, let alone verbalize it.
"Oh, God," Willow said shakily, taking Tara's hat off and pulling her head towards her, pressing their lips together in a hungry, searing kiss.
Tara thought her knees would give out when Willow tongue parted her lips immediately, moving against her own again and again - no preamble, just their mouths devouring each other as Tara pressed Willow tighter against the wall, the lengths of their bodies pressed together.
************************************************************
"Tell me again why I said yes to this?" Buffy asked, slumping down on the floor, her sheet covered body making a thumping noise as she collapsed.
"Because you're a good friend," Anya said happily, opening the register to start counting up all the money they had made that day. It was, by far, her favorite part. And she'd get to do her dance - she loved her dance.
"But, oh God, was that brutal," Xander said, sinking into a chair. "I don't think eight hours on the construction site is that tough," he groaned, letting his head fall down on the table.
"Well, it certainly seemed as though we did quite well," Giles said, looking around with a measure of satisfaction and smiling at Anya. It was a store to be proud of, and he congratulated himself yet again on his good judgement in hiring Anya.
************************************************************
The incense lit, and a trickle of yellowish smoke started up, and Jonathon closed his eyes, repeating his chant and ignoring the unpleasant smell of the sulfur. He was lucky, really, that the magick shop in town had the incense he needed … too much sulfur, and things would be bad. Very bad.
The smoke continued gathering, growing heavy and thick in the air, and Jonathon repeated his chant again and again, coughing around the words as the yellow smoke got into his lungs. He cracked his eyes open just a bit, realizing he couldn't see anything but yellow, and he finished the last few words of the last iteration of the chant while moving to the doors of the van, throwing them open and falling out.
Thick billows of yellow smoke issued forth, wave after wave, settling along the ground and racing off at an impossible pace. Jonathon rose unsteadily to his feet, watching with wide eyes as the smoke covered the everything, roiling forth and spreading out as far as his eye could see.
"Uh-oh," he muttered. "I think I used too much sulfur," he said, before all thoughts of sulfur and smoke were driven from his mind.
***********************************************************
"Well, I have an announcement to make," Xander said, rising to his feet and coming to a decision, moving to stand next to Anya and wrapping and arm around her shoulders. Anya looked at him, surprise and delight in her eyes. Was he really going to …? "Where's Willow and Tara?" he asked, looking around.
"They're in the training room making out," Dawn said lightly, sitting down at the table with a huff. That had certainly been hard work, but she had a dollar and a phone number, and she couldn't have stopped the smile on her face if she had tried.
"They are >not< making out," Buffy said, the sheet rising with the force of her breath. "Especially not in >my< training room."
"Fine," Dawn said with a little shrug. "But they're in the training room."
"Tell them anyway," Anya prompted, poking Xander lightly in the ribs. "Go on, tell them," she said excitedly.
"I think we should really wait for Willow and Tara, hon," Xander said slowly.
"Fine - just get my hopes up, then dash them. They could be doing god knows what in there, and it could take god knows how long, and there is no way you're going back there to go get them, because god knows how many clothes they have on," Anya said.
"Perhaps you should just tell us," Giles said, removing his glasses and cleaning them industriously.
"Yeah - what's the hubbub, bub?" Dawn asked, looking at Xander and Anya curiously. No one noticed the thin tendrils of yellow smoke snaking their way through the cracks of the front door.
"Well, Anya and I," Xander started to say, just as the smoke reached his feet. He shook his head, disoriented for a second, a slight dizzy spell washing over him. "Anya and I are …" he began again. "Umm … well, you see - Anya and I are co-owners of this shop," Xander said, his voice taking on Giles' British accent, looking at Anya and removing his arm gingerly, and looking around the shop as if he had no idea what was going on.
"Yes, yes, that's very funny, Xander," Giles said, frowning at the young man. "And I must say, you don't sound a thing like me - so what were you going to say?" he asked, putting his glasses back on and peering at the young man.
"Oh, Dear Lord," Xander said, taking a hesitant step towards Giles, then stopping short. "I … you look just like me," he said, his tone wondering as he examined Giles from head to foot. "Buffy … Buffy!" Xander said urgently, backing up towards the prone form of the Slayer.
"What?" Buffy asked, sitting up and looking around, the sheet with the word 'Boo!' on it staying right where it was on the floor.
"Dear Lord," Giles and Xander said in unison, looking at Buffy, at each other, then back at Buffy again. "Not again," they both groaned.
*******************************************************************
"God, Miss Willow, you're so …" Tara ground out, her hands sliding up her leg, slipping under her skirt. A groan escaped her as her fingers encountered the distinct feel of a garter belt. She moved her lips down to Willow's neck, kissing the soft skin there, pressing her body closer.
"Oh, Deputy Tara!" Willow said, a soft sigh escaping her lips as Tara's mouth found her pulse point.
Yellow smoke filtered into the room from the main area of the shop and the back alley, twining around their feet as Tara's hand crept up the outside of Willow's thigh, stroking the smooth skin softly.
Tara paused in her ministrations, blinking as a wave of dizziness washed over her, looking at Willow with startled eyes.
"Are … are you all right?" Tara asked softly. "I … that was… strange," she said, a light drawl marking her words.
"I'm a little … dizzy," Willow said softly, a similar drawl evident in her voice as her eyes fluttered shut. "But … but I'm all right," she said after a moment, her eyes drifting open and looking into Tara's.
"Are you sure, Miss Willow?" Tara asked, looking Willow up and down. "What's this?" she said, pulling a slip of paper out of Willow's bodice.
"That's the money you just gave me," Willow said with a light laugh. "Don't you remember?"
"I do, but … this … this isn't money," Tara said with a frown. "It's, I mean, it looks like it should be money, but it's … I know I gave you money," she said quickly.
"I know," Willow said, looking at the slip of paper quizzically. "But … something strange must have happened," she said, looking around with wide-eyes. "Where in tarnation are we?" she gasped out.
Tara looked around, her body stiffening as she took in the completely unfamiliar surrounding. "Now, don't panic, Miss Willow," Tara said slowly. "We'll figure this out."