A House Is Not a Home

Summary: Mr. Gordo, between Warren's appearance and Buffy's return home.
Spoilers: Seeing Red, Villains
Rating: G
Disclaimers: Joss is God! Mutant Enemy *rocks*! Grr, arrgh! (please don't sue me, 'k?)

My world feels all wrong.

I heard yelling and then a bunch of big loud noises from out back.

Then I heard the rusty-furred one yelling across the way. There were
lights and rumbly noises like when the water falls down out in the
Big Place With No Top Wall, and a deep mean-sounding voice I've never
heard before.

That all made my fur stand on end. It was not a very nice feeling.

I could see brightly colored lights through the shiny picture in the
wall in my world, and lots of voices, sounding worried. I could hear
the big dumb dark one talking very loudly. His voice was all high and
squeezed like Brown Fur's gets when she really wants something she
knows she can't have.

Then the sounds got farther away, and Rusty came charging out of her
world and stomped down the stairs. There was all this wet red stuff
on the front of her shirt.

Now the Big World With Walls is all quiet, and I don't like it. It
doesn't feel right.

****
It's a shame everyone had to go and get all upset. The day started
out so nice.

First of all, my Girl held me tight and cuddled with me all night.
She sniffled a little, especially when she looked at the yellow one's
coat laid out on the foot of the bed. But she slept and I told her I
love her while she was in her Dreamy Place. I think she felt better
by morning.

Then she left the door to my world open when she left. I saw Rusty
talking to Brown Fur outside their worlds. Brown Fur seemed a bit
down, but then the Quiet One came out of the door to Rusty's world,
wrapped up snug as a bug in a rug in a bed quilt.

Brown Fur got all excited and she squealed and did what Rusty called
the Snoopy Dance. I don't understand why, when Brown Fur wasn't
snooping at all, but it was nice to see her so happy.

Then she went back into her world, and Rusty and the Quiet One kissed
and giggled and went back into Rusty's world. It made me feel all
warm and fuzzy inside to see all my next-favorite girls feeling so
good.

****
Wait a minute. Brown Fur went out into the Big Place at the usual
time. Rusty and the Quiet One stayed in Rusty's world. Rusty came out
after all lights and noises.

Where's the Quiet One? Is she still in Rusty's world? Where all the
trouble was?

I hope she's all right. QUIET ONE??? Nobody ever hears me! Oh,
*please* be all right!

I don't like this *at* *all*...

****
Brown Fur comes home later and drops her stuff like a ton of bricks
just like always. I can hear her tearing through the Big World
yelling for my Girl or for Rusty or for anyone else around.

She races up the stairs and pokes her head in my world, looking back
and forth for my Girl, and blows me a kiss when she sees Girl's not
here.

Oh no. She's going to Rusty's world!

BROWN FUR! DON'T OPEN THAT - door.

Nobody EVER hears when I talk!

She goes in, and I hear her whimper a little. Then I don't hear
anything, and she never comes out.

****
A cold draft blows through the hallway between Rusty's world and
mine. Sort of a brightness floats out through the hall, and then the
Quiet One is standing in the middle of my world.

She's so pretty. I've never seen her like this.

She's all shiny and relaxed and happy, and she's not slouched over
like she's scared the way she usually tends to do. I feel a lot
better now that I can see she's okay.

She turns around and around, looking at all the things in my world,
and there's a funny sort of ripple in her shine when she moves. I can
see her whispering something, but I can't hear her voice. That's
funny. I've got big ears. They hear pretty good usually.

Is she taller? She was already plenty tall, I thought.

No. Her feet aren't touching the floor...

****
She floats over to me, and puts her hands on either side of my face
so her glittery glow shines on me. She smiles, and I feel all gooey
warm inside, like I've been drinking Yellow's hot shock-let.

"I have to go soon, sweetie," she says. Hey! I can hear her now!

Awww. D'you have to go away again, Quiet One? You just got back home!
We missed you!

"I missed all of you too, Mr. Gordo. That's why I came back
today...why I'm putting off leaving this place as long as I can...but
I really do have to go soon."

We don't want you to go. Will you come back and visit us at least?

She smiles. "I hope I can. But I really don't know if I'll be able
to."

*sniffle*oink*snurff*

"Ohh sweetie! Don't cry! I promise, I'll be in touch as often as I
can, okay? A-and, and I'll be keeping an eye out for everyone here as
much as I can."

You promise?

"Promise." Two fingers make a sparkly X over her heart.

*oink*snuffluff* Okay, I guess.

"You have to look out for them, Mr. Gordo. They need lots of love,
and there's not a lot of people left around to give it to them. So
you have to work extra hard to make them feel loved. All right?"

Uh-huh. I'm good at that.

The Quiet One's glow dims and ripples a little. "I - I'd like - Mr.
Gordo, could you take extra special care of Willow for me? I know
she's not your girl, bu-but as a personal favor? She's going to need
lots of love soon, and she won't want to let the others help her..."

Oh. I hate seeing Rusty sad. She gets into trouble when she's sad.

"Yes, she does." Quiet One's smiling, but she looks sad and the light
around her is fading.

She floats over to the door, and turns back to blow some of her
sparkles over me on her way out.

****
My Girl is home. I can hear her on the stairs, calling Brown Fur.

The Quiet One meets her on the landing, and Girl runs *through* the
Quiet One! I've never seen her do *that* before!

The Quiet One blows a glittery shower over my Girl too like she did
me, and I see Girl give a little shiver. I would too if I could - the
sparkly things tingle.

Then Girl goes into Rusty's world, and the Quiet One's glow ripples
and fades until I can't see her anymore.

Goodbye, Quiet One. I miss you already.