In a Corner of My Soul: The Pack: Dragging to the Library

[dragonyphoenix]

Masterlist for In a Corner of My Soul

Buffy tottered under the weight. She staggered forward one step and stopped to steady herself. After a second staggering step, she dropped Xander to the floor. “Ugh, you have to ease up on the donuts or maybe on the pigs. Raw pork you should give up completely.”

She grabbed his jacket by the collar and stopped to listen. The hall sounded empty. She dragged him to the door and peered out. Yep, empty. Good, that should solve the problem of how to drag Xander to the library without being seen. At least he slid well. Clothes, it was the clothes. From now on she was only killing demons that wore clothes. It made moving the body so much easier.

“Buffy.”

She stopped and looked over her shoulder. “Owen.”

“Uh, what are you doing?”

“Um, right.” She let go of the collar as she rose. Xander's head hit the floor. “Oops. Um, there was this vending machine accident and Xander sort of got knocked out so I'm taking him to the nurse.”

“The nurse's office is back that way.”

“Of course it is.”

“Huh?” Owen seemed more curious than concerned. It was a bit disturbing actually, but useful because time was something she didn't have. She had to get Xander into a cage.

“The nurse is busy folding bandages, preparing in case there's, um, a plague.” Really? Plague was the best she could come up with? “And Giles? He's great at treating concussions. Learned it in the war.”

“What war?”

“I don't know. Some Britishy war.” She grabbed Xander by the collar. “Don't you have a class to be in?”

“It's my free period. Do you want help carrying him to the library?”

“Oh no, he'd be embarrassed. I mean, he got beat up. He wouldn't want anyone else to know.”

“I thought you said it was a vending accident.”

“I did? Oh, I did … because that's how embarrassed he'd be. He'd much rather you think he'd been knocked out by a vending machine.”

“Oh, um, right.”

Owen didn't look convinced but she really had to get Xander in the cage before he woke. She started dragging Xander away. Looking over her shoulder, she added, “So I'll, um, see you later.”

“Buffy.”

Oh, please not now. She paused but didn't let go of Xander's collar. “Uh huh?”

“I was wondering if you'd want to hit the Bronze tonight.”

“Tonight? As in tonight tonight?”

“Uh, yeah, that's usually when tonight is.”

“Can't. Studying. I've got that big history test, uh, next week. I like to get an early start on my studying.”

“You do?”

“Hey, I study! Well, no I don't, but I'm trying this thing where I'm turning over a new leaf. I'm being vegetative, but not in a doing nothing sort of way.”

“Oh, okay, but movie tomorrow, right?”

“Yeah, of course, movie tomorrow.” If they got this hyena mess cleaned up by then.

Owen looked confused, as if she hadn't quite convinced him, but walked on. At the far end of the hall, Owen gave her a half-wave before turning the corner. Buffy yanked at Xander's collar, grumbling as she dragged him toward the library. “Xander Harris, if this going all dark path ruins my changes with Owen, I'll … well, no, I won't leave you all possessed, but you will owe me so much ice cream.”