Pure In Heart
SPOILERS:
Fourth installment in the Fated Connection series.
NOTES:
Thanks again to all those who wrote and told us how much they enjoyed the series and asked if there was going to be another chapter. We apologize for watching six months go by and not realize that we did the last part in January.Prologue
The uncertainty of the summer changed over to the promise of the fall and the dagger of Arancor still had not revealed to the Watcher and Slayer it's secret. They had secreted it in amongst Giles weapons that he stored at home. He and Buffy had decided that it would be the most logical place to hide the special dagger, in amongst other daggers and various armament, hidden in plain sight as it were. The two of them would occasionally take it out to study it. But they also knew they had a long way to go to understand it's powers and the uses they might be able to put it to.
Giles had also found himself employment. He had applied to UC Sunnydale for a teaching position and had been accepted. He had various degrees and it wasn't unusual for a foreign professor to teach in the UC system in California. Even though these types of positions could be hard to get, the attrition rate at the UC in Sunnydale was high. It had gotten around that more then the customary amount of teachers had died, very few from natural causes, who had been teaching at this particular UC campus.
So Giles found it fairly easy To secure a position for the fall semester.
***
So on the first day of classes at Sunnydale U Giles found himself standing in front of a class of eager faces looking down at him with expectation. He found himself frozen, almost petrified with fear, as he looked out into those sea of faces. He gulped realizing that fighting demons seemed much easier just at the moment than what he was facing right now. Looking around at the students he caught the look from a very familiar continence. Buffy smiled at him encouragingly having known somehow that he was quite nervous at the moment. No not somehow, but the through the link they seemed to be building up more and more. If the study of the dagger in the latter part of the summer had accomplished anything it was that their connection had started to grow much stronger. Next to her sat Willow also giving him a bright smile of encouragement. Clearing his throat he began to speak, having garnered courage from his two friends
"Ladies and gentlemen welcome to Archeology 101."
***
Later that day Giles had found himself in his office. He heaved a sigh of relief realizing his first day as a Professor at UC Sunnydale had gone extremely well. It had also helped that Buffy, Willow and even Oz had taken one or all of the classes he was teaching. It had also been gratifying to find a number of other Sunnydale Highschool graduates in his classes and the fact that they were surprised and pleased to see him teaching at the University.
Deciding to do some research as he waited to see how many of his new students would visit during his office hours, he had brought with him a number of tomes. They were the books he had found at Ethan's house where he had also recovered the Slayer's dagger. The mayor had collected a vast assortment of demonology books as well as books on the supernatural and a number of Watcher journals that had gone missing during the last century. Wilkins had collected so many that it was taking the Watcher much longer then he had expected to research into the possibilities of the Arancor dagger, the Fated Connection and the second dagger they had so recently found out about, the Devoncor dagger, the one belonging to the Watcher.
Thumbing through one of the books he had brought with him, he gleaned nothing new as he scanned it quickly. Picking up one of the others he started to read some vague information in this particular demonology book it was from the sixteenth century and he realized as he reread a passage that things he had read before in of his ancestors book began to make sense. He hastily got up and checked his book shelf, yes there it was. Pulling it down and reseating himself he opened the next book. Ten minutes passed as he studied the old text. It would be the last ten minutes of quite he would have for the rest of the day. Immediately as he began reading the words, one of his new students entered and requested some help from him. And the rest of his day went on like that.
Part 1
Two months later
Giles was glad to be home, it had been a long week . It had taken him almost a month to get used to working in a whole new area. At least when he was the Librarian at Sunnydale High he had more time to himself and more time to pursue his research, but his new job had stifled that. There was a lot more involvement in teaching then when he worked at the high school.
He sat at his desk after pulling out some of the mayor's books. Books he hadn't had a chance to review for awhile, there was still so much research that needed to be done, but too many things had interfered. And his research on the daggers had been few and far between. Any research the group had pursued in the last few months had been about the demons and portents that occurred regularly on the Hellmouth.
But tonight with no new threats in the offing as far as he knew and having finally got his new job on an even course Giles had promised himself that he would search through some of the mayor's stash that he had yet to peruse. He gulped down his dinner as he sat at his desk and began to read one of the books. A history by an old monk from the 15th century.
Near the end of their century the exploits of Watcher, Tyre Frame, and Slayer, Eden Sinclair, read like a romantic novel. Friar James became more caught up with noting the details -- far too many details in Giles' opinion -- of the "Fated Connection' between the Watcher and Slayer. When the good Friar married Watcher and Slayer in 1499, Giles had stopped reading. Trouble enough on a normal night keeping his mind on his duties and not on romantic thoughts of his Slayer. He didn't need historic accounts, with illustrations, of his early counterparts indulging in such tender emotions. He had enough to deal with on his own.
His eyes lingered on the sketch drawing of Watcher Frame and Slayer Sinclair on their wedding day. Just before the Autumnal Equinox. Frame and James felt the legal and physical bonding of the Watcher and Slayer would, because of the 'Fated Connection' enhance Eden's powers against a demon suspected to arise at the equinox. Tyre Frame hoped his wife would be the first known Slayer to retire because of old age. Quickly he started to thumb ahead, both eager and afraid to find out what happened to the happy couple at the equinox.
"Was that a wedding picture?"
So startled at the interruption, Giles tore a corner of the page. "Buffy!"
"Sorry, I didn't realize you were so totally in focus mode. You didn't even "feel" my presence."
"Yes, well we did learn one thing this summer with the dagger it needs both of us in "concentration mode" to work."
She leaned across his desk , turning the book and thumbing back to the illustration. "Who are these people?"
Giles forcibly ignored the scent of peppermint on her breath and cleared his throat. "Aren't you supposed to be studying your history text?"
"I did. I'm ready for you to quiz me. But I'd learn so much more if you would just tell me what you know about Egypt, then I'd have more time to patrol."
"It's not dark yet -- "
She leaned on his shoulder and pointed to the book. "Hey, this is a wedding picture! In your Watcher journals?"
"No, this is from a monk, one of the mayor's -- "
"Is this a Slayer?"
"Yes, Slayers have been known to be married --"
"And this is her watcher? Ooooo, this is one of those -- yeah, here it is -- underlined. A 'Fated Connection'! Oh, tell me all about it."
Buffy came around the table and sat next to him, leaning over the book.
With a sigh Giles moved her head over so he could see the pages. In the last few weeks she had fallen into the habit of coming to his flat to study before patrols. Willow and Oz seemed permanent occupants of the dorm room Buffy and Willow shared, so Buffy found study and companionship more pleasant at Giles' home. The arrangement pleased him, of course. More time with Buffy was always a wonderful thing. True, he rarely got much work of his own accomplished. Buffy had always been a high maintenance Slayer and now proved to be a high attention friend as well. Much of it was his fault, telling stories of history or English instead of her actually reading the texts. Her grades were skyrocketing -- just as her high school SAT's had with his personal tutoring, but it left him lately little time to finish school paperwork or, more importantly, keep up on even the normal research as her Watcher.
Half-heartedly he discouraged her interest, to no avail. Unable to resist her pleas, he told her of what he had just read of the story of Frame and Sinclair and Friar James their faithful chronicler. Their adventures were interesting, dangerous, instructive, and yes, also a love story. At age sixteen Sinclair married her Watcher and the 'Fated Connection' began, the first ever documented case -- the power they hoped would see them through the dangers of the autumnal equinox. It remained one of three documented 'Fated Connections' in known Slayer history. Several others were rumored, but not proven to exist.
"So how do we know if a relationship between a Watcher and Slayer is a 'Fated Connection'?"
Uncomfortable at the moment discussing the subject with his Slayer, Giles prevaricated. "We've been over this before. There is still so little documentation – with the discovery of the mayor's books we are at least finding out more detail. "
"Well, then there is something in his dusty old books, right, Giles? I mean does it read like one of those steamy romances where their touch is like an electric charge?" She demonstrated by taking his hand and pressing her palm flat against his. Frowning, she closed her fingers around his hand. "If that's the test..." Her eye contact was intense because at the connection of their hands they could both feel a touch of something familiar pass through them both . .Buffy looked at Giles oddly. "Maybe a kiss." She moved closer to him, "Could it cause the power to increase?" They both sat there for a moment inhaling each others scent their lips so close, a slight movement would bring them together. There hands still clasped making the contact of the link they had been sharing on and off these last few months even stronger.
Abruptly Giles pulled away disengaging their link , and valiantly trying to keep his attention on the book before him, cognizant of where this was leading and not ready to let it happen.
Buffy looked disappointed by his move but cleared her throat as she asked. " And what about the daggers, where do they come into it?"
"I'm not sure. What I've read so far in this book tells of a link that occurs because of some life-threatening dramatic event – or some heightened danger during which the Slayer and Watcher may experience some -- element -- feeling -- of shared power."
"As we did the night we were investigating the break-in at Mom's store?"
"Yes, but the problem is there are so few facts it is all really quite vague and -- and treated as myth as the daggers have been perceived all these centuries. "
"Okay putting the daggers aside, what happens then ? I mean what does this monk…?"
"…Friar James."
"Friar James, what does he say?" At his reluctance she scowled, glaring at him with a pouting face. "Come on, you have to finish the story. We've come this far. No cliff hangers."
Giles sighed heavily. He really didn't want to delve into this with her tonight and he hated losing the battles of wills -- even the small ones -- with Buffy.
At her look he reluctantly capitulated "The second is a marriage ceremony performed by an appropriate religious authority."
At Buffy's raised eyebrows, he commented. "You did ask, Buffy."
"I know. Sorry, go on, please. "
"Lastly is a personal binding ritual performed only between the Slayer and Watcher. "
"Binding ritual?"
At Giles pointed look, Buffy cleared her throat once again "Oh that sort of binding ritual."
" Of course, the 'Fated Connection', Buffy, does not happen for every Watcher and Slayer." From the corner of his eye he observed her, leaning close again , her presence as always of late, driving him to distraction amid his feelings for her and the new link they now shared. "It's always been considered to not exist as far as the Council is concerned."
Catching his eye she smiled at him. "But we know different now don't we -- I mean --well – the thing at Mom's gallery and the fact that I could feel you, even for just a little while, when you had been kidnapped by the Council. Interesting that my dagger has increased our connection."
Giles looked warmly at Buffy, realizing that she had now totally come to accept their new bond. When he had first suggested the truth to her after the incident at Joyce's gallery, she had been adamantly opposed to the idea of their having a connection at all. "Yes it is."
"But maybe we need something even more dramatic right, then your kidnapping? Though…" She looked thoughtful. "That was awfully emotional as far as I was concerned." Flustered she turned to the book. "So, don't you know the end of the story?"
A deep breath helped clear the tight knot of tension in his chest. "No, not yet. I've been reading their histories -- Sinclair became Frame's Slayer when she was ten years --"
"Then let's read ahead."
Giles closed the book. "Buffy, your test tomorrow -- "
"Is a cinch, Giles, chill. A love story has to be more interesting than the pyramids."
"Perhaps, but reading this small, faded handwriting is quite a chore and I have had enough for today." In emphasis he removed his glasses and rubbed his eyes. "I might have time later tonight, after I grade these mythology quizzes."
His eyes opened to find Buffy directly in front of him staring at him. Their gaze held for a moment, giving Giles a chance to take in every detail of her green eyes, smooth skin, soft hair and minty breath. Never had he known anyone as beautiful or wonderful.
"Melisa Okimoto is right." Buffy's voice was quiet, nearly concealing the tease in the tone.
Giles couldn't stop staring into her compelling eyes. "Who?"
"Melisa. She sits across from me in your ten o'clock mythology class. Remember?"
While Giles taught only six classes three days a week, he found it still difficult to remember all the faces and names. Of his new students. He had been pleasantly surprised when he found he enjoyed teaching, he hadn't expected too. But he also knew teaching could only be a temporary way to earn money until Head of the Department opened, or some other non-personal-contact occupation made itself known. His vocation, his life, was as Buffy's Watcher. Earning a living tended to be a severe handicap to his foremost duty. The position did, however, keep him close to Buffy, and that was his main intent while teaching at university.
Casually Buffy popped another of Giles' peppermint Lifesavers into her mouth. After Giles' intimate encounter with Drusilla last year, he had been a compulsive consumer of Lifesaver mints. At first it was a psychological defense against the memory of Drusilla's taste, afterwards it became a sugar habit. She offered one to Giles, who accepted the treat before she consumed his entire roll. "She has the most absolutely deadly crush on you, you know, Giles."
"On me?"
"She thinks you have beautiful eyes." She trailed a fingernail gently over his eyebrow. Tenderly brushing her thumbs against his closed eyelids her touch was like scintillating magic. "And a cute smile."
The nail traced a course around his lips. He opened his eyes to find her gazing at him with a magnificent wicked smile. "And I told her you didn't even know who she was. I was right, huh?"
Giles recognized the pouting tone easily and couldn't resist the tease. "Why, Buffy, are you jealous?"
Something elusive and furtive flashed in her eyes, then it was quickly replaced by mischief that reached her grin. "Don't have to be. You're my Watcher." Emphasizing her possessive claim, she scooted over and sat on his lap. "No body else can have you."
This dangerously close he found everything about her intoxicating. Aware self-control was slipping by the second, he took his chances and continued -- encouraged --what could only be termed a flirting encounter. He dared to lightly rest his hands on her hips. She settled closer, leaning against his chest, her hands playing with the hair framing his face. Danger turned to extreme peril and he rested his head against her shoulder to resist the nearly overwhelming urge to kiss her.
They were playing with fire here. As the Watcher, as the much older adult, he needed to be the one to stop the flirting, he should stop the intimacies and friendship that was way past the point of propriety. 'Should' being the operative word, he could not stop the cascading emotions plunging them into something they may bitterly regret. Responsibility and reason argued there could be no future for them. Twenty years her senior, his duty was to protect, train and nurture his Slayer, not fall in love with her -- not allow her to fall in love with him. Not that he could even dream that would happen. Buffy needed his support. She didn't fully understand what this intimate attention meant to him, how it ravaged his emotions to be so close, to be so tempted and never fulfill the hopeful wishes in his heart.
A beeping sound startled them both and Buffy reached to her pocket and switched off her beeper.
"This was one of your worst ideas, Giles. Mom has terrible timing and is always paging me."
The beeper was something Giles insisted Buffy keep handy. As soon as his limited budget could manage they were upgrading to cell phones. For the safety of his Slayer he thought the latest technology was only sensible, but all had to be managed on his salary. Maintaining a California lifestyle for him and his slayer was financially taxing. Buffy's father provided an allowance for upkeep on her car and Joyce Summers provided funds for strict living expenses, but Buffy exceeded all those budgets and counted on her Watcher to help with the rest. Someday he would learn to say no to her.
"It's well past dark, Buffy. You should get started on your patrol."
Her arms wrapped around him and she hugged him tightly for a moment. Without thought he responded as his hold on her tightened.
"Is anything wrong?"
"No. Just jealously appreciating my Watcher." She pulled back, once more studying his eyes for a time. Breaking the near-hypnotic gaze, she stood and carefully replaced his glasses. "Can I come by after patrol and finish the Egypt stuff?"
"If you wish."
"Oh, no, can't. Tonight I'm staying at my mom's. She's fixing a late supper."
"Oh -- yes -- Oz starts his, uh, monthly curse tonight."
"Yep. So lucky me gets to stay at mom's for the next three nights. I told her they were fumigating our apartment."
"I wish I could keep Oz here, but California builders do not include convenient basements and the garage cage is not ready. "
"I know. And the neighbors are more curious. Too bad they're a lot more curious than at your old apartment."
Giles grimaced as he helped her gather books. "They already pry about you."
Buffy grinned and winked. "Did you tell them I'm your girlfriend?"
"No I did not. I gave them no information whatsoever."
Escorting her to the door, he held onto the knob, studying her, his mood abruptly serious. "Be careful tonight, Buffy. An equinox so close to the full moon could be trouble. I'm researching now --"
"And I'm sure you'll find something important in those journals by that monk guy. Hey, I can be research-girl tomorrow after school." She ignored the frown and the negative shake of his head. "Mom will be working at her gallery tomorrow night, so you can fix me dinner." Beaming a winning smile at him, he knew he had already lost. "I'll tell you tomorrow what you should fix. Man, it's so cool to have a domestically talented Watcher. You are the best, Giles."
With a wave she was gone, like a minty breath of clean air sweeping through his musty life. Briefly she swirled through his mind and heart and out again like a sprite.
Part 2
Buffy left for patrol and then home as she would be spending another night at her Mothers'. The dinner together had been enjoyable. And before Buffy had left for patrol the two had done some more research together trying to find any information they could about their link and the daggers, for Buffy was just as eager as he was now to find out anything they could.
After the Slayer had left Giles continued the research. He had reluctantly pulled out the Codex, something he had wanted to look at earlier but didn't want to do so in front of his Slayer. Too many bad memories attached to it. But he had a hunch and knew he had to explore it more thoroughly. He picked up the book and settling down at his desk he started to read.
Yes! He knew it! Excitedly thumbing through a few more pages of the brittle, crackling pages Giles took a breath to calm his agitated nerves. Yes, his memory had served him right! Portents did indeed point to something nefarious and evil poised to happen near the autumnal equinox six days away.
Putting the Codex down on his desk he reached for Friar James chronicle again, opening it to where he had bookmarked it he continued to read. The Friar might be loquacious with his descriptions but he did know his Watchers and Slayers and was a wealth of information on demon and Slayer lore.
Prophesies, predictions and historical accounts of Slayers and Watchers came from Friar James' riveting but obscure accounts of life in the latter days of the 1400s and the beginnings of the 1500s.
The Watcher Council had known only through marginal notes in Watcher diaries that the monk chronicled Slayer adventures. So the fact that Giles had found the book in amongst the mayor's books that Ethan had purloined was a tremendous coup and another mark against Giles should the council ever discover the new additions to his library.. Not that he cared. He was probably already condemned and sentenced in absentia. He expected retribution for his crimes against the council at some point, but for now they seemed happy with a 'hands-off' policy.
The problem with the Friars' writings was it read more like a romantic novel than history in his penned exploits. Many considered his manuscripts near fiction, but Giles knew better, though in all truth his journals had not been seen by any Watcher for a least a century, thanks to "his honor" the Mayor of Sunnydale. Giles knew that somewhere in one of the later volumes was an account of James' encounter with a creature during the autumnal equinox at the end of a the 15th century. Relevant material Giles was sure if only he could find it.
Perusing the next pages, Giles' excitement waned. Yes, here James seemed caught up in noting too much detail on the Watcher and Slayer personalities. At one time Giles found the near-biographies fascinating, then entertaining, then dripping with romanticism. After that he stopped reading much of James' accounts of his friends. Picking up the next journal he continued reading. Hah, yes, here it was -- a detailed account of events of the equinox six hundred years before. Sifting through more of the tediously fanciful prose on the romantic natures of Frame and Sinclair -- or more correctly Watcher and Slayer Frame -- Giles found the tale he sought. In one of his past researches, years before, he remembered something significant about equinoxes close to the turn of a century. Friar James mentioned the first of his suspicions of a new demon in the area, which was noted three days before the equinox.
Two days later Frame married his Slayer. Blast the frivolous monk, the friar concentrated more on the romance than the threat of the demon. Frustrated, Giles went to another volume to cross reference. Soon the faded ink scrawls blurred beyond recognition and he glanced at his clock. Past midnight. No wonder he couldn't read anymore. Best to leave it for tomorrow. Six days before the equinox. Six hundred years ago to the night Frame and Sinclair were married. He was somewhat afraid to finish their story -- to know the details of what he suspected to be an unhappy ending with the first known fated connection.
Checking the doors and windows and slowly trudging upstairs he wondered if Buffy returned home all right. The superstitions were getting to him, he knew, jumping at shadows and worrying too much about Buffy's safety. He should have had his Slayer call when she finished patrolling, he stopped halfway up the stairs, he could call and check, glancing again at the clock he realized it was too late to call the Summers house tonight.
***
Heat.
Cloying, steamy heat pressed heavily against her chest.
Like a way high sauna -- steam so thick she could hardly breath.
Something hissed behind her.
Turning, her foot caught on something . . .
Giles lay on a bed of mist -- he screamed in agony.
A black cloud hovered over his heart and opened his chest to reveal a bleeding, throbbing heart . . . .
"No!"
Buffy shot up in bed, sweat dripping from her face, tears pooled in her eyes. The echo of her cry still caught in her throat, his scream yet lingering in her ears.
"Buffy?" Disheveled, her mother's pale face peeked around the door. "Another nightmare?"
Buffy nodded, fumbling for her phone.
"What are you doing?"
"Giles. Something was killing Giles."
"It was just a dream. Buffy, this is the middle of the night! Let the poor man sleep."
On the first ring the phone was picked up. "Buffy?" The familiar British voice was breathless and strained.
"Are you all right?"
"Yes -- uh -- fine. And you? Are you safe?"
"Yeah, yeah. I just had a terrible dream."
She could hear him catch his breath. "I know."
Fear shook her hand and she stilled the phone against her cheek. "You too?"
"Yes. It was terrifying."
"I'm coming over --"
"No -- no, Buffy, don't come out tonight, please."
"But --"
"No, stay there. I'll see you in the morning. After sunrise."
"What was it, Giles?"
"I don't know. Yet."
***
Only minutes after six AM, Buffy arrived with donuts and chocolate milk in hand. After helping her put the food on the table, Giles was taken aback at her fervent hug, arms tightly clasped around his neck. Touched, he affectionately returned the comfort.
"I'm so glad you're all right. That dream was so awful."
"I know." He patted her back, reluctant to terminate the wonderful instant. Easy to forget the motivation for the warmth of the greeting, he lingered in the moment as long as she wished. Finally she drew back, scrutinizing him carefully.
"You didn't go back to sleep, did you?"
"No, not really." He rubbed the stubble on his face and finger-combed disheveled hair into place. "What about you?"
"Nah. Kept the lights on till it was time to get ready." Her eyes were haunted, belaying the cocky words. "So, has this ever happened before? I mean Slayers and Watchers sharing the same dream?"
Grimacing, he admitted it was completely new to his experience. Checking reference books for the last few hours revealed no mention of shared dreams. He pulled out a chair then sat down next to her. As with so many other events on the Hellmouth, they had stumbled onto another first. "I think it my be your dagger causing this.
"Oh joy." Her sigh was deep and disturbed. Picking at her chocolate donut she asked, "so, do you remember yours?"
"Vividly." Reluctant to remember the agonizing details, he realized she would not be the first to recount her dream. He cleared his throat. "There was a dark shape hovering over me. I couldn't move. A black claw or talon sank into my chest and removed my heart."
Shakily her hand rested on his pajama shirt over his heart. He held the hand there -- it was an amazing touch of comfort and warmth. He wouldn't share anymore. The details of the pain that still seemed to reverberate in his chest -- the anguish of Buffy standing close to him watching his death -- those were details she didn't need to hear.
"So, do you know of demons who rip out hearts and are dark with claws?"
Reassuringly he patted her hand and moved away. Hardly inspiring courage or confidence thus far, he straightened and strove for a better image. "Not specifically. It's a bit vague so far. I'm working on it."
She placed two jelly donuts on a napkin and pushed them over to his spot
by the mountain of books. "Here, you'll need your strength."
Without appetite he picked at the donuts and sipped his tea. Silence and donuts were somehow comforting between them -- normal -- something to be prized while living on the mouth of Hell.
"Do you think we'll have them again?"
"I hope not."
"Do you think it's a portent? An omen? A prophesy dream?"
"I certainly hope not."
"Yeah."
Buffy had experienced prophesy dreams before. Both of them sharing the
same dream had shaken them badly. Hardly novel, but he understood a new
dimension to fear as he contemplated that they might have seen a vision of their future.
Part 3
Later that day Buffy and Willow arrived for their Archeology class. As they walked in they spied Giles at the desk working on some papers. The Watcher looked up briefly, smiling and acknowledged his two friends then went back to the paper work in front of him.
Buffy and Willow found there usual seats in the class and surveyed the classroom as the other students began to file in.
"Oh here, she comes"
"Here who comes?" Willow asked bewildered.
"Melissa Okimoto, the flirting princess." Buffy commented disgustedly as she watched the girl taking her usual seat in the front row, as close as possible to Giles.
"Huh?"
"Gosh, Will haven't you noticed how she's always flirting with our Giles."
"Our's? Willow asked amused at Buffy's use of the possessive when it came to her Watcher.
"Actually, no," Willow looked down on the other student from her vantage point and watched as Melisa looked quite attentively at Giles, who was still working at his desk. The other girl seemed to be intent on catching his eye while Giles was totally oblivious to the student's effort. "Though I guess, she does." Willow continued.
"Well, I don't like it."
"Really, I would never have guessed." Willow teased her friend. The witch was pleased at Buffy's obvious jealousy, glad to see after all this time that her best friend was finally seeing Giles as a man not so much as her Watcher.
"Hey, Will, have you ever read any of those books Giles keeps locked away in his study?" Buffy asked changing the subject. She suddenly realized she had shown more about her feelings for Giles then she had intended to. As much as she loved Willow, and always shared things with her, Buffy herself wasn't certain how to cope with the new found feelings she was having about her Watcher. And the addition of the link that she and Giles were now sharing had made her emotions even more confused.
"You mean the ones in the locked bookcase with the glass on the front? That would be with the locks."
"Is that a no?"
"Those are his private, private Watcher journals, Buffy. Why would I read those?"
Buffy shrugged. "In all your research have you ever learned anything about a 'Fated Connection'?"
"Ooo, no, sounds cool. What is it?"
"It's a Slayer thing."
"Not like aspect of the demon again I hope."
"No, this is way better. Like --"
"Uh, Miss Rosenberg and Miss Summers?" Giles cleared his throat.
Buffy straightened in her chair. "Yes, Mr. Giles?" The picture of innocence -- the exact opposite of anyone who knew her. The most subtle expression in his eyes acknowledged her ever-so-slight-sarcasm.
"If you would like to join the class now? We will be in chapter three with the Norse gods."
"Oh yeah, gods, I am so there."
This time the smile reached his mouth and Giles struggled to regain his sober professor image. "Thank you."
***
That night both went out on a short patrol circuit around the cemetery. Three vampires and a three-horned demon made appearances, but no shapeless dark void with talons. Well before midnight they walked back to Giles' where Buffy had left her car. The convertible red Miata was a concession from her father, who caved in for a flashy car out of divorced-father-guilt. They were both on edge after the patrol and Giles suggested a cup of tea to take the chill off the cool fall night.
Buffy watched as Giles fixed the tea, having joined him in the kitchen. When the tea was ready Giles took the tray into the livingroom and they poured themselves a cup. He watched with his usual amused interest as Buffy proceeded to pour into her cup of tea three packets of sugar. As she brought the cup to her lips she caught his look and shrugged her shoulders grinning.
After a few minutes of companionable silence Giles brought up the subject that they both had avoided most of the evening. They discussed the dream again. Each trying to decipher anything they could to help them understand what the nightmare meant and what might be going to happen.
"It might be a good idea this time if we can try to get a better picture of what the demon looks like."
"You think we're going to have the dream again?"
"Don't you think so?" Giles asked raising his eyebrow at her questioningly.
"Yeah," Buffy said forlornly. "I was just hoping…"
"Indeed, but I suspect our nightmares have just began."
Sipping dispiritedly, Buffy gazed at her Watcher over the rim of the cup. "I could stay here tonight."
"Out of the question." His tone and opinion absolute. "Besides the obvious improprieties, there is your mother and she is expecting you."
"I can call --"
"Buffy it would be better if you returned home. Keep your doors locked and the top up. Call me when you're in the house."
She impulsively snapped back more harshly than she intended. "Hey, I'm the Slayer. I don't run from big bad things in the dark, remember?"
"I'm not implying that you --"
"And since when do I need to give you a bed check?" She slid the tea cup away and leaped to her feet. "It takes more than a nightmare to spook me, Giles."
On her way out Buffy slammed the door. She got into her car and slammed that door too. Mad at herself, not Giles, for her childish tantrum. She knew she had behaved badly and that Giles was only trying to protect her but she was only trying to protect him. The threat was to him not her. She knew that. Her slayer instincts were screaming at her that it was her Watcher that was in danger not her. Starting the car, she pulled away from the curb with a squealing of the tires and headed down the street towards home.
Disgusted with himself, Giles watched her as she screeched away. Just when he thought he had his Slayer figured, she came up with new and irritating angles to cause him distress. After cleaning up the tea he watched the clock and waited, pondering thoughts of tact and civility.
They were both tense. His over-protective nature pushed against her fear for him and her natural independence and the two , Watcher and Slayer, frequently found themselves at this impasse.
Next time, perhaps, he would remember sensitivity training before he overstepped his bounds. Fifteen minutes had passed and no call. She wouldn't call tonight. After sleeping on her irritation she would ring up in the morning and apologize, and their relationship would be back on track. Forget the Slayer's handbook. There really should be a manual on dealing with women.
***
Breath.
Forcing the air in and out of his lungs he fought for breath.
A dark shape loomed over him, blocking everything out but Buffy's face.
She stood nearby his left side.
He was flat on his back.
The creature filled his vision, his lungs.
A claw with three curved talons swept out of nowhere.
He felt the sharp pincers pierce his flesh and seize his wildly beating heart.
He screamed --
Lunging up, Giles fought for breath, the anguish of death still spilling from his throat. Shaking, sweaty, he gripped his arms to stay the trembling course through his body.
When the phone rang he moaned in misery, fumbling to bring the instrument to his mouth. "Buffy."
"You're all right?"
Exhaling a harsh breath he snorted. "I'm alive."
"I'm coming right over."
He could hear Joyce Summers' objections in the background. The phone clicked off before he could catch any distinct words. Shakily he wiped his face, pressing his right hand over his heart. It had seemed so real this time.
***
When Buffy arrived at Giles place, she found him, already dressed and sketching something in one of his notebooks.
"You remembered more about the demon?"
"Yes, what about you?"
"A little more," Buffy answered doubtfully. She didn't want to admit out loud to Giles that she had been so concerned for him that in the dream the only thing she could see was the creature spilling his life's blood. "I do know I saw a tail."
"Yes, so did I and wings."
"Do you think we have enough from your sketch to find out what it might be?"
"I'm not positive, but I'm afraid we both haven't the time at the moment."
Buffy glanced at the clock on Giles desk and realized that they both needed to be at school in less then an hour. "Well, at least if I'm late to my first class the Prof won't be too hard on me."
Giles smiled at Buffy's comment understanding her need to lighten the mood for a moment. "Oh don't be too sure of that, I hear your Mythology teacher is pretty strict."
"True, but I have an "in" with said teacher."
Oh, really?"
"Yup."
***
It wasn't until later that evening that the two were able to get some research done. Hoping to find the demon that seemed to be appearing in both their dreams. They spent a frustrating evening going over various books, including more of the mayor's stash and still hadn't found anything useful.
Giles looked at his watch, "It's probably time for patrol, Buffy."
She glanced over at her Watcher, from the book she had been studying and shook her head in agreement.
Buffy started to get up and Giles followed suit.
"Where are you going?"
"With you on patrol."
"I don't think that's a good idea, Giles."
"Buffy with what's been going on lately, I'm certainly not letting you go out there by yourself."
"I'm not the one who's at risk, here, it's you."
"Buffy we don't know that, all we know is that something is communicating with the both of us, in our dreams, and we don't know yet what it is."
She put her hands on her hips, a familiar pose to Giles. "They're prophetic dreams Giles, I've had them before and I recognize the signs all too well."
"Yes, I know but we don't know for sure yet. And I'm not happy about you patrolling alone."
Buffy looked at her Watcher with a sly smile forming on her face. Giles recognized the smile as soon as it appeared. It was his Slayer's 'I'll agree with what you say, if you agree to what I want,' expression.
"Okay, I'll agree to your coming with me, if we can take the dagger with us."
It wasn't surprising that she wanted to take the dagger on patrol, she had been angling for just such an occasion to convince Giles that she should be allowed to carry it. The Watcher himself had been reticence about using the weapon in any defense because they really still didn't know enough of it's power to use it effectively.
"Ah, come on Giles, it's Slayer's dagger, it can't harm me , please?" Buffy then pretended to pout. "That's it isn't it, Watcher doesn't have his, so he doesn't want the Slayer playing with her's.
Giles laughed at this sally. "All right, fine, Slayer can go and get her
dagger, and bring it along on tonight's patrol to play with, even if the poor Watcher doesn't have his…yet."
Buffy whooped happily and dashed over to the weaponry trunk, hurriedly opening it she quickly sought out the object she was looking for, finding it, she pulled out it out reverently and gingerly, always aware of the power she could feel, thrumming through the dagger of Aramcor--to her the Slayer. The feel of it in her hands was something she had never experienced before.
She heard a voice clearing expectantly and looked up from where she was still kneeling. For the moment so mesmerized by her weapon that she had lost track of time. She saw Giles' amused gaze on her.
Buffy smiled sheepishly at him. "I just can't describe the feeling…"
Giles returned her smile. "I know."
Buffy realized he did, because as soon as she had the dagger clutched in her hands their link that was always there now, lingering somewhere in the background, seemed to kindle slowly expanding beyond it's usual limits
"If my dagger connects us like this what will the power be with both daggers in our hands?"
"Let's hope we get the chance to find out."
***
The first two cemeteries they scouted turned up no vampires and no demons. By the time they hit the third one, Buffy was beginning to wonder where all the baddies had disappeared to that night. They tried a couple more of the usual spots that vampires tended to gather and still hadn't seen one.
When they reached the park, Buffy sat at one of the of the picnic tables, Giles joining her. He was also beginning to wonder what was going on.
"So, Watcher mine, what do you think?"
"Seems to be awfully quite."
"Yup", Buffy agreed as she pulled her dagger out of the sheath she fashioned for it sometime ago, hoping that Giles would finally let her use it while on patrol.
"It's really odd, Giles I can't remember a night when nothing was going on, I mean usually they're some newbies at least to pick off, but nothing, the last time that happened was when the mayor was about to change."
"Yes, the vampires do tend hide out when something big is expected. "
