Roger Duncan loosened his tie as he stepped out of his rented car. The California heat was stifling even though it was only early spring. Well, I guess when you arrive on a Hellmouth you should expect it to be warm.
"Why is is so bright here?" came an annoyed voice from the front seat of the car. His wife, Wendy Duncan poked her head out of the window with her long red hair tumbling down around her pale, cherubic face.
"It is called Sunnydale, Wendy. What did you expect?" came another woman's voice as she stepped out from the backseat of the car and onto the street beside her Roger. The man smirked at his half-sister. They had only re-united a few years ago. He'd been raised in England with their biological mother while his half-sister, Gemma, had been raised by her father Stateside. It was Roger's father that was bringing them to Sunnydale now. The father he had never met and quite honestly, was reluctant tot meet. Unfortunately he had no choice, and this was the man's last known whereabouts. Wendy stepped out of the car to put a comforting arm around her husband.
"I'm too nervous to even knock on the door." he said softly, pressing his lips to her hair. Gemma shrugged, unphased.
"I'm not." she said, bounding up to the front door and knocking. Wendy and Roger followed, both frowning disapprovingly. "What?" she shrugged with mock innocence. The door opened and a young, slim brunette answered with an annoyed yet curious expression on her face.
"Can I help you?" she asked.
"Ah, yes, indeed." Roger said, stepping forward. "We're looking for a Rupert Giles."
"Used to go by Ripper." Gemma piped up with a smile.
"Hush Gemma." Wendy hissed.
"What? Mom said he did!"
"Stop being a child." Wendy scolded.
"I'm 21, same as you."
"Uhm, hello?" the young brunette in the doorway.
"I apologize for the ladies." Roger said. "I'm Roger Duncan. This is my wife, Wendy and my sister Gemma. We're looking for Rupert Giles."
"Dawn? Who's at the door?" came a voice from further inside the house.
"Some people looking for Giles." the girl, Dawn, called back. A young, beautiful blonde came to the door.
"Can I help you?" she asked.
"Rupert Giles. Is he here?" Wendy asked, getting fed up with the lack of answers.
"No. He went back to England." she said with a note of bitterness in her voice. "Why would you be looking for him here?"
"Well his apartment was empty and he is your watcher. We just assumed he'd be here." Gemma said, crossing her arms in front of her chest. "You are Buffy Summers, right?"
"Who the hell are you people?" she asked.
"I'm a Watcher as well. Roger Duncan." Roger said, offering his hand, which was ignored by Buffy.
"If the council sent you as a replacement for Giles, you can tell them to just go to-"
"No! No, not at all. I have my own Slayer to worry about, thank you." Roger said, slightly offended. Buffy raised a brow.
"Faith? You're Faith's Watcher? I'm surprised you're still alive." she said, leaning in the doorway.
"Faith? Heavens no." Roger said with a smile. The idea of trying to be helpful to someone as psychotic as Faith Lehane was laughable.
"He's my Watcher." Gemma said with a small smile. "and my big brother. Double dose of annoying if you ask me."
"Gemma..." Roger said with a warning tone. Buffy stared.
"Is Faith-"
"Still alive." Wendy said with a reassuring smile. "But a couple of months ago you weren't."
"Thanks for the wake up call, Summers." Gemma said with a smile but her tone was sarcastic.
"Oh." Buffy said. "Oops."
"May we come in now?" Roger asked. Buffy stepped aside to let them in with a sigh. As if things couldn't get more complicated.