fandom_clinic | FH Clinic (6/06)

Buffy walked in, looking a little puzzled. "Why does the pond smell like coffee? ...I'm not crazy."

"The pond smells like coffee because it is coffee. Today." Susan looked up. "Hello, Buffy. And I'm glad to hear it." She decided to risk it, and took a sip from the cup. "It's rather good, actually."

"Did someone just dump a whole lot of instant into it?" Buffy wondered as she sat down. She wasn't quite sure what she wanted to talk about. Or, that was a lie. She knew what - Merrick-, but she wasn't sure she would. Susan didn't look very scary, but you never knew. She could be plotting to have Buffy committed right this very moment.

"I'm not certain. I'm putting it on the list with dancing lemurs, and tiny bunnies. And possibly, hair colors that change spontaneously in the night," Susan said, lips twitching. "Because heaven knows, there's no way to *make* that happen." She cocked her head. "Why do you think you're not crazy?"

"Is that a trick question?" Buffy looked suspicious.

"No." Susan smiled and took her seat across from Buffy. "That simply an attempt to get you to define what you think crazy is. If you can explain pretty well why you're not, then I usually tend to agree. Truly, it's not meant to be difficult."

"Oh. Um. I don't see invisible people who tell me to kill other people? I know where I am? Um. I don't hear voices?" Buffy pondered. "I don't work at McDonalds, which I believe could drive anyone crazy?"

Susan nodded. "All good indicators. Although I didn't realize that about McDonald's. I'll have to go visit." She perched her chin on her hand. "Why does your mother think you need counseling? You said something about a gym burning down. And that you couldn't explain why?"

"Yeah, like, if I'm talking about vampires being real here, everyone's, like," she waved her hand. "Whatev. But at home that's like asking to be carted off to the funny farm." She paused. "There were vampires in the gym, that's why I burned it down. Though there could've been, like, big rats. Or asbestos."

Looking concerned, Susan said, "And your mother has no idea about the reality of these vampires. I don't suppose there would be a way to convince her, somehow...?"

Buffy's look suggested that she was wondering if Susan was crazy. "...No."

"Because she would deny it?" Susan asked, wanting this to be clear. "She might do better with it than you'd think."

Buffy shook her head firmly. "No, she really wouldn't. I love my mom, but looking outside the box is not something she's good at. So big rats is definitely better than big vampires."

"Ah." And it isn't as if they ever told their parents about Narnia, after all. "I'm sorry." She cocked her head. "Why were you the one to set the fire, if I might ask?"

[and I go away for almost 2 hours. back soon!]

Buffy looked surprised. What? Someone who didn't know she was the slayer? "Because killing vampires is my job. Was. Sort of."

"Which? Is, was, or sort of?" Susan cocked her head. "And how did you come by this 'job'?"

Buffy took a deep breath. "Okay, let's see if I can remember it right... 'As long as there have been demons, there has been the Slayer. One girl in all the world, a Chosen One, born with the strength and skill to hunt vampires and other deadly creatures . . . to stop the spread of their evil. When one Slayer dies, the next is called and trained by the Watcher.' There's more than one Watcher, by the way," she added. "And it's just as creepy as it sounds."

Susan blinked. "Oh my." She studied Buffy for a moment. "And right now, the Slayer is you." Taking a deep breath, she said, "Only one? In the entire world. This doesn't seem like the best plan ever."

"No kidding," Buffy agreed. "I don't think they thought it through. Whoever 'they' are. Were."

"You don't know where this-- charge? Responsibility? And the abilities that come with it, originate?" Susan looked concerned. "Who told you that definition, then?" And the very disturbing codicil of 'one Slayer dies, and the next is called' was uppermost in Susan's mind.

"Merrick, my..." her voice lowered and she looked sad. "My old Watcher. And, no, I don't. A history lesson kind of wasn't all that important right then."

"What else were you concerned with? And this Merrick-- you can't ask him now?" Susan had watched Buffy as she said Merrick's name, and carefully noted the sadness.

"I... No. Lothos killed him." Her expression changed to cold triumph. "I slayed him good in return though. Stupid vampires."

And in that moment, Buffy reminded Susan irresistibly of Peter, but even more of Edmund, after he defeated the Queen. "I'm sorry you lost your-- guide? Helper? Watcher." After a moment she asked, "Did you have anyone else to help you, when that happened?"

Buffy blinked and came back. "What? Oh. Kind of? There's this guy, Pike. His friend got turned into vampire so he already knew about them when I found him. He is pretty cool, but he doesn't know how to fight, you know?"

Susan nodded. "So your mother doesn't know, and your Watcher died, and now you have this new role laid upon you. That's quite a lot to deal with. I'm glad you had a friend who you could at least talk to about it."

"Yeah, Pike was okay. Everybody else thought I was on drugs or something." She made a face. "Um. Is it okay if we talk more later? 'Cause I kind of have a workshop to go too. There might be real arrows this time!"

Susan smiled. "Definitely. I think I can assure your mother, should she call, that you're not crazy. But I'm glad you want to come back again." She pulled open a drawer in her desk. "And I believe I promised you lollipops?"

The drawer held Jolly Ranchers, Blow-Pops, butterfly-lollipops, and all-day suckers. "Take your pick."

Buffy beamed and grabbed a lollipop at random. "Thanks! See you later!"

Peter poked his head into the clinic after having lunch with Willow, "Su? Am I bothering you? I brought tea."

"Of course not, Peter. Not when you've brought tea." Susan sent an amused glance at her cup of coffee. "Tell me you and your friends didn't turn the pond into coffee. Just so I can swear to it, if anyone asks."

Peter looked affronted as he handed Susan a paper cup of tea and offered her a biscuit from a small paper bag. "How precisely would we manage that now?"

"Someone suggested a ton of instant coffee be added. I'm sure it's magic, but it's an amusing mental image; you and your fellow Stickbugs, wheeling in barrels of Nescafe." Susan accepted the biscuit with a smile. "So. How are things, not that you're all back in the dorms?"

"It's a good idea," Peter said thoughtfully. "I rather wish we had done it." He smiled back at Susan. "I think I vastly preferred the cabins. The dorms feel a bit too large now. Plus there aren't any fires."

"So in some ways, the cabins are more similar to Narnia," Susan said reflectively. "What else have you been up to, then, if you've been behaving? I heard the announcement the Principal made." She shook her head. "I'm assuming you and your brethren have to pay your fee for your fun now."

"In some ways," Peter agreed. "But they're also closer to school in Britain as well. You heard that all the way down here?" He looked around as if for loudspeakers. "Or have you converted the trees to your will here as well? Hmm, yes, we were given detention as punishment. Apparently the pranks were 'escalating dangerously.'" He grinned at Susan.

Susan shook her head ruefully. "The announcements here are piped in through the P.A. system. In case of emergency. And no trees have fallen at my feet. Unlike a certain Willow, I have heard, falling at yours?"

Peter blushed a bright red. "Hmpf, well. I can't say that's precisely right, but she's a lovely girl. I like her quite a bit."

Susan just looked amused, and didn't push. "Good. She seems like a very pleasant girl. Certainly quite bright. I hope your kingship hasn't frightened her too badly."

Peter glared slightly at Susan's obvious amusement though the glare soon faded into a half-grin. "Yes, she is. I think she liked you too." He sobered a bit and stood straighter. "I told her most of it after we visited the dryads. I truly didn't think they'd recognise us, Su. And then I could hardly deny who we are. She took it a better than I expected."

"I expected you would have to. It's not the sort of thing one can brush off with 'oh, dryads, what can you do?'" Susan shook her head. "I didn't expect them to recognize us either, but I suppose it *was* too great a coincidence for them not to ask. I'm just glad Willow wasn't too intimidated?"

"I might have tried that though if I'd thought of it. It's probably better I didn't though." Peter replied with a grin. "I think she might be slightly more intimidated than she lets on, but I think I've also convinced her there's no reason to be."

"Good." Susan sighed, and looked thoughtful. "Did our mutual friend say how long you would be staying here? One term, two, indefinitely...?"

Peter bit his lip, his usual guard just about completely down. "He didn't say anything beyond sending me here for 'a time.' And as he usually is, he didn't give me a way to contact him - or home. So I suppose he'll show up when he likes and that will be that." He looked at the ground.

Susan looked away, swallowing hard. "It would make no sense to take you out in the middle of a school session," she said, keeping her voice light. "And less, even, to ask you to return in the middle of summer. So I think the soonest you would return would be fall." She was quiet for a few moments, then, "Until then, we can perhaps hope that there shall be more notice than there was upon our second return. Or Lucy and Edmund's third."

"I shall have to take your word about the notice for those," Peter replied, looking back up at his sister. "But then we still have time to figure out what you and I shall do."

"Yes." She smiled. "We returned when our tasks were done. So. Plenty of time, I should hope." She paused, then diffidently asked, "Would you like to know of those other times? Or would it be too confusing?"

"I would," Peter said decisively. "But perhaps not just now ~~because my player just got really tired and must sleep~~. I just wanted to make sure you were doing well."

"I'm fine, big brother." Susan smiled at him. "And very grateful for the tea and the visit. Off with you, and tell Willow I said hello."

FH Clinic (6/06)

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After Buffy leaves

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