Demon Charades

Rating: PG-15

Disclaimer: I do not own anything relating to Buffy the Vampire Slayer and I do not mean to infringe on any copyrights. I am not making any money from this. Any original ideas however are mine.

Distribution: http://mysticmuse.net

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Feedback: Constructive comments are always nice.

Pairing: Giles/Jenny

Jenny awoke to the sound of her daughter crying and the birds singing in the garden. Blinking sleep out of her eyes, she turned to see if Rupert was awake yet. Instead of her husband beside her in their bed, she saw a grotesque ram-like demon thing. Screaming, Jenny sprang out of bed and ran over to her daughter, quickly picking her up out of her cot.

At the sound of her scream, the demon awoke and clambered out of bed. Terrified, Jenny clutched her baby daughter to her and tried to inch her way towards the bedroom door. The demon boomed, "Arghurjs, hujeijnjif, grrrouqwoooum."

Opening the wardrobe with one hand, she pulled out a sword Rupert kept there for an emergency. Shaking, Jenny shouted, "Stay away from us. Get away from the door." And brandished the sword at the demon, while holding her daughter tightly to her with her other arm. "Rupert? Rupert?" Jenny shouted. "Rupert where are you?"

"Argeeruhkoi ijhiwjr rheiadj," the demon uttered, whilst flailing its arms. It started to move towards her.

"Get back," Jenny shouted and thrust the sword at it. The demon jumped back. "What have you done to him? What have you done to my husband? Where is he?"

"Aeijghoio fhiolii ehifhrisweo."

Jenny couldn't understand a word of what the thing was saying. Great. What has it done with Rupert? How the hell did it get in here? And how do I get my daughter out of here? Jenny looked at the door, and then warily into the demon's eyes. There was something about those eyes. They seemed familiar. Almost pleading. She looked intently at the eyes, searching them. Oh God! It can't be! Can it?

"Rupert?" Jenny asked timidly. "Is that you?"

"Aeihihtgiteee." The demon started to get excited.

"Oh my God! It is you. How?" Jenny let the sword fall from her hand and onto the dressing table.

The demon moved towards her, and then seeing itself reflected in the mirror on the dressing table, it stopped. Eyes wide, it looked down at its body. Stared at its large demon arms and hands. It looked back up at her, mortified. They stood looking at each other without saying anything, letting their predicament sink in. The only sound the singing of the birds and the crying of their daughter. Snapping out of her shock, Jenny started to rock her daughter, shushing her cries.

She looked up at Rupert. "Okay...okay...nod for yes, shake your head for no. Rupert that is you right?" The demon nodded his head. "Oh God! How did this happen? This can't be happening!"

"Aritgjirhiij ihikjlo huhheriwod uhurhuujdksijkjllk..."

"Rupert I can't understand a word you're saying. I don't understand the language." Moving toward the door, she said, "Come on, let's go downstairs. Maybe I can find something in your books!" He moved aside for her and then followed her down the stairs.

She was putting their daughter in the downstairs cot when she heard the snapping of wood. Looking up, she saw that the banister had come off in his hand. She sighed as he looked at her sheepishly, or as sheepishly as she thought a demon could. "Just, don't touch anything. And it might be best if you stay away from Meadow while you're like that." Realizing she had probably hurt his feelings, she added, "I'm sorry Rupert. It's just we don't know what kind of demon you are and..." she took a deep breath and her shoulders sagged. "I know you wouldn't deliberately hurt her. I just want to be on the safe side, okay?"

He nodded. She gathered some of his books together and placed them on the coffee table. Sitting on the sofa, she started to go through the old demon volumes. Her head jerked up from the book she was looking through when she heard a loud tearing sound. Rupert the demon had tried to sit down on the sofa opposite her, only with now having spikes on his back, he had torn the upholstery. She let out a deep breath and ran her fingers through her hair. "Here," she pushed a book over to him. "Do you think you can look through some of these without breaking them? The sooner we find out what happened and put it right, the better. I'd like to keep the rest of the house intact."

He picked up one of the books and opening it, pulled it in half. Jenny couldn't hold it together any longer, she broke down in hysterics. He wanted to go over to her and comfort her, but was afraid of upsetting her more.

She abruptly stopped and wiped the tears from her face. "I'm sorry. I just...this..." she broke off and took a deep breath. "Okay, breaking down isn't gonna make this better. You look through the book you've already torn and I'll look through the rest."

They sat in silence, looking through the books, Rupert trying his best not to tear them. "I've got it!" Jenny's eyes lit up as she looked at him. She stood up and moved over to him, showing him the book, but not letting him touch it. "That's what you are isn't it?" He nodded. "A Fjarl demon. Okay, well at least we know what you are now. What we still don't know is how you became one."

"Auehrjunurjfr..."

"Rupert, I can't understand you, remember! Do you know how you became one? Is that what you're trying to tell me?" He nodded his head vigorously. Jenny took a deep breath. "You do. Okay. Okay. Erm, let me think." She started to pace around the room. "You were fine before you left last night to go to the store and pick up some supplies. So whatever happened must have happened after that. Which would have been after eight o'clock." She turned to look at him. "I was exhausted and I must have fallen asleep. So I don't know what time you got in. Do you know what time you got in?" He shook his head.

"Do you think you were gone more than an hour?" He nodded. "Okay. Well, it shouldn't have taken you that long to go to the store, so something must have happened..." she stopped and gave a wry smile. "Way to state the obvious, huh? Of course something happened, you turned into a fucking demon! How Rupert? Were you attacked?"

He both shook and nodded his head. "Okay, that doesn't help Rupert." She considered what she knew about becoming a demon, then asked, "Were you bit?" He shook his head. "No you weren't bit. Okay. God! How does one turn into a Fjarl demon? It doesn't say in the damn book." She wrung her hands. "I wish you could tell me what happened. Did you manage to go to the store?" He nodded. "So it was after you went to the store and was on your way home that this happened?" He shook his head. "No. It happened in the store?" He shook his head again. She rolled her eyes in exasperation. "Was it someone you met in the store?" He nodded his head yes. "Good. Right. So it was someone you met in the store, and then you went somewhere with them?" He nodded again. "It was a person?" Another nod. "Was it someone you knew?" Another nod. "Someone I know?" Nod. "Someone we trust?" A shake of the head. "Right. Someone we've dealt with before, in Sunnydale?" A nod.

Jenny thought for a moment. "And it's someone who knows us both from Sunnydale..." she stopped her musing as he shook his head. "We met them before Sunnydale?" He nodded and then shook his head. "Yes and no?" He nodded. "God! This is like charades! And I never did like that damn game. Okay, is it someone you met before Sunnydale?" He nodded.

It suddenly dawned on Jenny. "Oh shit! Not, Ethan Rayne?" He nodded. "Ethan Rayne did this to you!" Another nod. "So it's a spell then?" He infuriated Jenny by both shaking his head and then nodding again.

"You don't know if it's a spell?" He nodded. "Well, what else could it have been?" He made a motion with his hand, similar to picking a drink up, and then simulated swallowing. Jenny's eyes went wide in annoyance. "You went DRINKING! You went drinking with Ethan Rayne! God! I can't believe you sometimes Rupert. Well, then this is your own damn fault, you stupid idiot." She was seething at his stupidity and at the fact that while she had been at home looking after Meadow, he'd had the audacity to go boozing. "So, while I stay at home looking after OUR daughter, you decide to go off with an evil little shit like Ethan and have a good old drinking session. Nice. Really nice." She folded her arms and glared at him. "Well, I'm half tempted to let you stay that way." He hung his head in guilt.

She sighed and looked over at their sleeping daughter, then back at him. "Okay, so you think Ethan may have slipped something in your drink? Like a potion?" He nodded. "God! Rupert! What were you thinking? What if he's skipped town already?" She looked into his eyes and saw her Rupert there. His eyes looked hurt, scared and pleading. She moved over to him, taking him by surprise when she carefully put her arms around his demon form, cradling his head, trying not to cut herself on the horns. He put his arms instinctively around her. "Er, Rupert, ow! You're hurting." He immediately let go of her and looked horror stricken that he'd hurt her. "Shush! It's okay. I'm fine. Really. It's just you have incredible strength. I'm not hurt, honestly Rupert." He seemed unsure at first and then found his confirmation in her eyes. "I'm gonna make this better Rupert. I'm gonna get you back to yourself. I promise." She gave him a very quick kiss on the head.

"I'm gonna go and get dressed and then find Ethan." She rushed upstairs and into the bathroom, where she washed her lips. Sorry Rupert honey. I love you but, ew, demon you, not a big turn-on.

Dressed, she came back downstairs and checked on Meadow. Picking her up, she said to the little girl, "Okay, sweetie, time to get your daddy back looking like himself again, hmm!" She kissed her daughter softly on the head. "Rupert, now for which pub you went to. The Swan?" He shook his head. "The Red Lion?" A nod. "Okay then, that's where I'll start looking for him." She settled Meadow in her carry-cot and grabbing her purse, headed for the front door. Rupert started to follow.

She turned to face him. "Rupert, you'd better stay here. I'll take Meadow to Mrs. Hill next door and ask her to watch her for me." She saw the look of worry in his eyes. "I'll be fine Rupert."

He held up his hand and indicated to the locked cupboard where his weapons were kept. Understanding what he meant, she unlocked the cupboard, and he pointed to a sword that was inside a long bag. "Okay, I'll take this with me."

Putting the long bag next to the car, she carried Meadow in her carry-cot next door. To her relief, Mrs. Hill was more than happy to mind Meadow for a while. After dropping Meadow off with the old lady next door, Jenny went back to her car and found the Rupert demon crouching behind it. She jumped and let out a startled cry. "Rupert? What the hell are you doing out here? What if someone sees you?"

He indicated for her to open the back car door. "Oh, no. You're not coming with me. It's too risky." When he made a move to undo the car door himself, which would more than likely have resulted in him pulling the door off, Jenny quickly said, "Okay. Okay." She opened the backdoor of the car for him and picked up the travel blanket. "Lie down and put this over you so no one will see."

With Rupert hidden under the blanket in the back of the car, Jenny drove the short distance to The Red Lion pub. "Stay here in the car. When I find out if he's here or not, I'll come and get you, okay? The last thing we need is the landlord seeing you."

She went around to the side entrance which the landlord used for his personal use and knocked. The door opened. Jenny gave the landlord a winning smile. "Hi! Er, I don't know if you remember me or not, I'm Mrs. Giles, Rupert's wife."

He smiled at her. "Ah! Yes. I remember, the one from America."

"Yeah. Erm, Rupert was in here with an old acquaintance last night, an Ethan Rayne, and they accidentally got their wallets mixed up. Well, Ethan said he was staying here, so I thought I'd drop by on my way to the store and sort the little mix up out."

"Oh, yes, I know the fellow you mean, but he isn't staying here."

"He isn't?"

"No, I'm sorry."

"Do you know where...did he mention where he was staying?"

The man thought a moment. "Yes, he mentioned something about the Black Bull. Yes, that's right. He was staying at the Black Bull. I remember because I was a little put out that he wasn't staying here."

"Thanks," Jenny cut him off and smiled. Turning around, she waved 'bye' and got back in the car. Once inside, she started the car and drove off, filling Rupert in as she headed to the Black Bull.

The Black Bull had a separate guest-wing off the main part of the pub. It enabled the guests to come and go via a separate entrance, instead of having to go through the pub or use the landlord's own family entrance. That way, privacy was for all. This came in exceptionally handy for Jenny and Rupert.

Jenny left the back car door open, but told Rupert to stay there until she signaled the coast was clear. She took the long bag, containing the sword, with her.

The bell above the door jingled as she entered the reception area of the guest-wing. Shit! Hearing footsteps, Jenny ducked behind a sofa. She heard someone enter the room from the far side, "Hello? Anyone here?" A female voice called out. Jenny held her breath and kept silent, hoping she wouldn't be spotted.

Jenny let out her breath as she heard the footsteps retreat away into a back room beyond the reception desk. Peaking around the sofa, she saw the room was empty once more. Not wasting a second, for fear of discovery, she tiptoed as fast as she could over to the reception desk and looked through the guestbook. Finding what she was looking for, Ethan Rayne's room number, she went over to the window and signaled for Rupert to come.

Once he was at the door, she quickly opened it. The bell jingled again. She indicated for him to go to the stairs, and the both of them made a run for the relative safety of the staircase before the woman appeared again.

At the top of the stairs, Jenny took the sword out of the bag. She pointed to Ethan's room and Rupert started to head over. "No," she whispered at him. "I'll get the door open. I don't want you causing any attention to us." At Ethan's door, Jenny took a hairpin out of her purse and got to work on the lock. The door clicked unlocked. She looked up at Rupert and grinned in triumph. "What? You think you're the only one who can pick locks? I'm Romany remember!"

Sword at the ready, Jenny pushed the door open. Rupert put a hand on her shoulder and indicated that he wanted to go first. She stepped aside and then followed him into the room. Jenny shut the door behind her.

Upon seeing them, Ethan jumped up off his chair, where he had been reading the morning newspaper. "Err, now, let's remain calm," Ethan said holding his hands up. "If you kill me, I can't change you back."

Demon Rupert moved menacingly over to Ethan, causing Ethan to back up against the wall. "He's right Rupert. Don't hurt him...yet."

"Yyes. Listen to your wife old chap."

"Oh, don't think I'm on your side Ethan." She walked over to join her husband and pointed the sword at Ethan, causing him to gulp. "I'd actually like to see Rupert tear you to shreds, but right now my priority is reversing whatever you've done." She looked hard at Ethan. "Turn him back. You can turn him back, right?"

"Yes. Yes, of course."

"Then do it. Oh, and Ethan, don't try any funny business, because if you do anything other than put Rupert back to himself, my people will think of something really nice to do to you." She smiled menacingly at him.

"Your people?"

Jenny nodded. "Yeah. I'm Romany. My people are the ones who cursed Angelus with a soul. You know, the vampire! They get real pissed off when someone hurts a member of the clan. They make them pay even beyond death. Vengeance is a real big thing with them."

To Jenny's satisfaction, Ethan looked very scared. "I...I'll turn him back."

"Good." Jenny stepped aside and Ethan started to prepare for his ritual. Setting up on the floor, Ethan sat crossed legged, and started to reverse his spell.

To all of their complete relief, it worked, and Rupert was turned back to himself and no longer a Fjarl demon. Jenny ran over to her husband and dropping the sword at his feet, flung her arms around his neck. He immediately wrapped his arms around her and hugged her. They pulled back enough to kiss, before Jenny wrapped her arms around him again, pulling him to her tightly.

"Erm, do you think you could do that mushy stuff somewhere else?" Ethan said dryly.

Both Jenny and Rupert turned to glare at Ethan. "Now that I'm back to myself, I think I have some payback to attend to. Excuse me for a moment Jenny." Rupert strode towards Ethan, causing Ethan to back up.

"Er, now Ripper, I meant no harm really. It was all just a little prank. You really don't want to do this."

"Oh, I think I do." Rupert had backed Ethan up against the wall and he now took hold of him by the collar. Lifting him, he moved Ethan from in front of the wall and then hit him in the face, sending Ethan sprawling to the floor.

Rupert moved to kick Ethan in the stomach, but Jenny's plea stopped him, "Rupert!" He looked over at her. "He isn't worth it Rupert." He nodded and stepping over Ethan like the trash Ethan was, Rupert went over to Jenny and took her in his arms, hugging her.

"You're right my love. He isn't worth it." He kissed her and she returned it.

"Erm, Rupert, do you know you're still naked?" She grinned at him. She started to laugh as it finally dawned on him

He muttered, "Great! Now I'll have to look ridiculous again and wear some of Ethan's clothes."

While Rupert searched through Ethan's clothes for something that looked barely appropriate, Ethan was attending to his bloody nose. "You know, you still have one hell of a right hook Ripper."

"If you call me that again you'll see my left one," Rupert shot at him.

Dressed in a bright yellow silk shirt and green pants, Rupert stood in front of Jenny and held his arms out at his sides. "Well? How ridiculous do I look?"

Jenny desperately tried to suppress her laughter and thrust her hand over her mouth. It didn't help to stop the flood of laughter though, and she doubled over laughing.

"What? It's not that bad. You look rather dapper Rupert," Ethan said grinning. At this Jenny started to laugh even more and Rupert glared over at Ethan.

"I didn't ask you to comment Ethan. So shut up."

"Sorry. I just wanted to make you feel a bit be..." he trailed off at the look Rupert gave him.

Composing herself, Jenny said, "Come on, let's get you home and out of those clown clothes." Rupert picked the sword up and moved to open the door for her. Jenny turned one last time to Ethan. "I want you to leave and stay away from us. Remember what I said about my people! If you ever do anything again to us, you'll pay." Her voice was steady and cold, as were her eyes as they bore into Ethan's.

He gulped again and nodded. "I understand."

"Good. Because my people are everywhere and their vengeance passes through generations, so if you bother us again, they will get you...one way or another." With that, she turned around and walked out of the room, followed by Rupert.

Back in the car, Jenny turned to Rupert. "How are you feeling?"

"I'm fine. Thankful to be my old self again." He smiled at her. "Thank you Jenny."

She shrugged. "Yeah, well, I'm still peeved at you. But I couldn't very well leave you like that!"

He looked down at his hands. "I am very sorry Jenny."

"I know." She started the car and drove them home.

In the driveway, she said, "You go inside and take a shower and bin those clothes. I'll go and collect Meadow."

Later, Rupert and Jenny were sat together on the sofa, with Meadow cuddled in Rupert's arms. "It's so good to be able to hold her again," he said and smiled lovingly at his daughter.

"Hmm, well that should be an incentive not to go drinking with the likes of Ethan Rayne."

He looked at his wife. "I know I can't say this enough, but I really am truly sorry Jenny. I never meant for any of this to happen. I would never deliberately put you or Meadow through anything like that."

She looked at him. "I know. I think being turned into a demon was probably a pretty bigger punishment than my being mad at you anyway!" She smiled.

He shook his head. "Actually, not that I liked being a demon, but having you angry with me is one of the worst punishments in the world for my stupidity."

They looked each other in the eyes for a moment, before she leaned over and kissed his lips. "Ddoes that mean I'm forgiven?" he stuttered slightly.

She grinned at him. "Yeah." She snuggled closer to him and he smiled in contentment.

The End

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