Passing the Torch
As he arrived at the massive building he looked up in awe at what he had created. Well he didn't create so much as re-invent. It had been a long road and it had taken its toll, he was now an old man, he didn't walk as well as he use to and the loss of his arm had meant an end to front line duty, but his real work had been behind the scenes.
The security guard nodded at him as he passed, he was too well known to be asked for I.D. The office was bubbling as he hobbled in, they had been preparing for his arrival for some time and the man he had come to meet was waiting for him. Giles pace didn't change as he made his way to his office and the man fell into step alongside him.
"Hello Rupert, I hope you had a pleasant journey." The man was just into his forties and had a calm way about him, he had been Giles student in the early days and an excellent one at that. More of the running of the organization had been passed onto his shoulders of late and he had handled the job far better that Giles could have hoped.
"Yes, thank you Shawn" Rupert Giles voice gave away his eighty years but it was still as commanding as it had been when he had taken over command of the Watchers Council. "Have all the arrangement been made as I requested?"
"Of course. Your guests will arrive tomorrow morning and all arrangements for their stay taken care of." Shawn Davies walked along side his mentor and stumbled over his next words "Can I ask, why have you asked the Slayer and Scoobies here?"
"Hello Jane" Rupert said to the receptionist who was positioned outside his office as he arrived, he ignored Shawn's question for now "How are the Chris and the kids?"
"Very well Mr. Giles, welcome back it has been too long since we saw you last"
"Thank you Jane, if it isn't too much trouble could you arrange tea for Mr. Davies and myself"
"I put the kettle on when you arrived" Jane replied, proud to have anticipated his request.
"You are an angel of mercy to an old man" The young woman smiled and picked up the tray and followed them into the massive office. Jane placed the tray on the table near the window that was flanked by two old English leather chairs that Shawn and Rupert moved to. They looked at the view of the Suffolk countryside, talked about trivial matters before Shawn could take no more.
"Rupert, I must know …"
"Shawn" Rupert interrupted "I have asked Buffy and the others here for a private reason and it is the same reason that I have to speak to you. As normal it is under the strictest confidence." He paused for a moment, thinking of the best way start this conversation, " I have to tell you that I have been very impressed the way that you have taken on the responsibilities that I have given you ... I will need for you to take some more"
Shawn swelled with pride, Rupert Giles was not a man to hand praise out lightly "of course Rupert, whatever you need me to do"
"I thought you would say that..."
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The three original members of the Scooby gang enjoyed the comfort of first class travel.
"You have to hand it to Giles he knows how to look after his guests" Xander said while his glass was being topped up with champagne. "Yes sir I might even be able to handle Bubble and Squeak or Bangers and Mash when you arrive like this"
"We should have done this ages ago" Willow agreed
"Are you sure that Dawn will be OK with the kids? She will won't she? Did I leave the oven on? I didn't lock the back door did I? We should have..."
"Buffy, baby everything is fine" Xander tried to calm his wife down but she never traveled well, especially without the children "We talked about this remember, relax" It helped a little and the Babbling Buffy was calmer.
Willow rolled her eyes. She had spent a lot more time in England that the others, Giles had been a massive help when she had relapsed and tried to end the world on her grief stricken magic rampage. He had asked her to help rebuild the watchers council after is was all but destroyed by the First. He had instituted massive changes to the way the council ran, more emphasis on training and co-operation.
The changes had been swift and radical and some of the remaining hard-core watchers were resistant, even tried a coup but were quickly beaten back. The new council trained Slayers more effectively than ever and had more teams around the world holding back evil better than ever before. The Council of Watchers was a force to be feared by the demon world again and rightly so.
"Why do you think that Giles has asked us over now do you think?" Willow asked Xander as Buffy continued to think of all the things that she should have done before she left. "Beats me Will, it might be Council stuff, you know some thing major that Sophie can't handle on her own" Xander replied hopeful
"Come on Xander, what can't Sophie handle. I think she is a stronger slayer than even Buffy is"
"I wouldn't tell Buffy that." He smirked, and then grew serious "We will find out when we get there. I hope it is major disaster, he was over a few months ago so maybe a prophecy, I don't want to think that…"
"I know Xand. I know" Willow concluded sadly.
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As Giles walked into the large hall he was greeted by a hug from Willow and Buffy, after some manly should we, shouldn't we shuffling, Xander too. Shawn Davies stood at the back not wanting to interfere in the reunion taking place. He knew what this group had done, their deeds had never been equaled, nor would be again he thought.
He stood as they swapped stories about what had happen since they last met. Buffy and Xanders children were growing up fast. Buffy had named them Jenny and Tara after their two friends. He could remember Rupert being very moved when they had asked him to be their Godfather and he knew that Rupert had been close to a Jenny. He didn't know the whole story but from what he could gather from Willow, it was probably the reason he never married. Willow herself, was running a very successful company with her partner and Shawn still kept in contact with the woman who had help form the Watchers Council into what it is today.
He kept to the back of the hall until he was called over by a wave from Rupert.
"… and of course you remember Shawn Davies" Rupert reintroduced them and hugs and handshakes were exchanged. It was all perfectly normal and Shawn would have mistaken it for an ordinary happy reunion if he didn't already know of the conversation that was to come. "Shawn will be appointed Head of the Watchers Council tomorrow when I step down" Rupert continued
"What!!" The three said in perfect unison. "You can't step down Giles" Buffy said
"I assure you Buffy, I can, and I will. Shawn here will make an excellent replacement for me and anything you will need from the council he will be able to provide, right Shawn"
"That's right. However I might be filling your post Rupert, but I will never replace you." He smiled at the old man then addressed at the legionary Scooby Gang "If you need anything, Willow, you have my number. I will leave you to talk"
Giles patted him on the shoulder as Shawn passed, he left them to continue the conversation that he knew would break all their hearts, it had broken his already.
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"OK Giles, what is going on" Buffy asked her no nonsense tone "Why are you stepping down, and don't give me it is because you are too old"
"Buff is right G-man you may not be able to fight demons the way you use to but …"
Willow cut Xander's speech "Your dieing aren't you?" She looked at the man who had become as much as a father to her as he had to Buffy. In fact her and Giles had spent a lot of time together when she was rebuilding her life and she could read him very well, that is how she knew the answer to her question.
"Yes, I am rather afraid I am" Giles replied "Inoperable heart condition, I forget what the correct term is but it doesn't really matter"
"God dam, I knew this was worse than the world ending again" Xander said throwing his glasses across the room, when they smashed against the wall he looked sheepishly at the three "I've gotta' stop doing that"
"How long?" Asked Buffy, her eyes were swelling with tears and Giles pulled her over to him with his one arm and hugged her.
"Two months, maybe three"
"Is there any thing that can be done... Other than medical..." Buffy started but was quickly silenced by Giles as gently as he could.
"Buffy we went through this just before your mother died, there is nothing that can be done. This is part of life, I am an old man and this is my time." Giles looked at them "I always thought that one day I would have children, have a normal life but I never met another Jenny and... I couldn't feel prouder of three people, even if they were my children, than I do of you three. I've had a good life and have done a lot I feel proud of. The Council has changed and will continue to do more good, the two Slayers since Faith have lived longer an any others, with the exception of you Buffy"
The slayer in his arm smiled and Giles spoke to her directly "You are my greatest achievement. I am so proud to have been part of your life Buffy Harris"
"Who will be with you?" Xander said, turning is mind to the practicalities at hand
"What?" asked Giles, slightly confused by the question. Buffy pull out of his embrace as Xander continued
"Who will look after you in the next few months?"
"Well … I guess that I have Ms Knight who will look in on me, and there is always a hospice …"
"Like hell you are going to a hospice." Xander said with more determination than was meant, "you will live with us"
"Xander, I didn't ask you here for you …" Giles stammered, he didn't want their pity, he wanted to say goodbye to the people who meant the most to him "You have the …."
"The children think of you as their Grandfather and would want to see you. Giles please let us do this for you"
Willow walked up to Giles and put her hand on the side of his face as he had done nearly twenty years earlier and repeated the same word that he had said "People need help from time to time, if you carry everything on your shoulder the weight will finally break you, let people care"
"I didn't know you had such a good memory"
"Giles please" Willow implored
A tear ran down the Watchers face and he nodded as Willow pulled him into a hug.
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The Head of the Council of Watchers stood over the Grave of one of the best men he ever knew. The rest of the Council had wanted Rupert Giles to be returned to England and buried with full honors. He had talked it over with Giles family, the Scoobies, they wished him to be buried next to Jenny Calendar and that is what happened.
Shawn Davies had heard that Giles last few months had been happy ones. Playing with his grandchildren, catching up with the family that he had made here in Sunnydale. He had died peacefully in his sleep and that could not be said for many people in this line of work. Davies thought about his mentor and wondered if he would prefer to be remembered as the man who saved the Watchers Council, or as the Watcher of the most successful Vampire Slayer of all time, or maybe as the savior of the world on several occasions.
As he walked away from the grave he hoped that Rupert Giles would prefer to be remembered as the stone above his grave read.
Rupert Giles
1958 – 2021
Father to all
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