Author: Katya
Author's e-mail: mkate101@aol.com
Disclaimer: I don't own any of these characters, so don't sue me.
Category: (Dark / Angst) Drabble
Rating: PG
Spoilers/Warnings: Season Seven, Buffy the Vampire Slayer.
Summary: On a cold, dark night, Rupert Giles comes to an understanding.
Author's notes: One-shot. Not beta'd. My usual beta is asleep at the moment. Plus, you can blame this on the need to answer some questions. So, please blame Joss.
She stands before him, bathed in a soft white light. He had imagined her return
for so long but never like this.
She whispers softly into his ear, things horrible, bloody deeds.
"He is a killer." He could feel a chill run through him as she caressed his cheek.
"He will do you all more harm than good." Her hand runs down his neck and rests on his chest. She looks into his eyes.
"Remember what you said the day you killed for the greater good." He jerks away.
"You are not her. She would never have said that." He shakes his head and walks away.
"She would never have told you the truth, Rupert?" The ghostly apparition appears before him. "I find that laughable."
"It would kill Buffy."
"I have seen that your protégée has a great deal more tolerance to losing those she loves than you give her credit. She will get over his loss."
He looks at the haunting face of his love. He remembers every line, every curve of her face. He remembers the fleeting joy of seeing her lying on his bed, the crushing pain at the realization of the truth.
"I could never do that to Buffy." The First simply smiles and moves to her left. Sitting on the couch, the new principal stares into space, enraptured by something.
"I have that covered." He sits on the stairs, taking in the silence of a still house. All the Potentials had long ago gone to bed.
"Take him out, Rupert. Don't let what happened to you, to us, happen again. He is a loose gun, a rabid dog. He will cause more blood and death than you can imagine. Who will be the next to die, Rupert? Willow, Xander... Dawn? Prevent that from happening now. Help Wood kill Spike."
He buries his head in his hands. His soul has been burned by darkness before. He can feel it slipping again.
"You are not her."
Her coldness strokes his hair. Looking up, he stares into Jenny's eyes.
"Are you so sure about that, Rupert?"
Decision made, he stands up and walks to the principal. They begin to form a plan.
The First watches from the darkness. "Perfect."