Colette sighed as she walked through the main doors of Sunnydale High School. Many of the male students and some of the female students turned their heads towards her in lust. She was used to this and smiled politely at them as she passed. She spotted a blonde haired female student who was busy with her locker.
"Hi, I am new here are you able to help me," Colette said. Buffy jumped hearing the sweet sounding female voice. Buffy could not place the accent. It was part British and part French.
"Of course, I am Buffy," Buffy smiled. "Are you a new student?"
"Kind of," Colette looked around her people were still looking at her. "Colette."
"Your new and I have been there," Buffy stuttered remembering her first couple of weeks at Sunnydale High. "They hopefully stop soon."
"I understand," Colette laughed. "I was just on my way to the principal's office could you help me found it?"
"Of course, its this way," Buffy walked Colette down the hall to the principle's office. "Here we are, if you need any more help you can find me in the library."
Colette knocked and opened the door to the office.
"Giles!" called out Buffy as she walked into the library.
"Buffy," Giles stepped out of his office holding a cup of fresh tea. He had thought that he had run out of his favourite blend the day before but he had found two new boxes in the cupboard waiting for him.
"We have a new student," Buffy seat on the study table. Giles stock his head.
"And you think there is something odd about them?" Giles asked.
"We have a new female student," Xander stated as he and Willow entered into the library. "And she is beautiful," Xander signed thinking about the new female.
"Do you not have eyes for Buffy or any other girl in school?" Half joked Willow sadness and hope in her voice.
"Yes but," Xander sturred not looking at Buffy or Willow. "I am but there is no harm in looking."
"As long it is only looking," Colette said stepping into the library a smile on her pale face. She had pale white hair large red lips and eyes. All noticed her deep lilac blue-purple eyes. "I am married I hope you know," She looked at Giles. "Hello, sweety did you miss me?"
"Colette, what are you doing here?" Giles asked walking towards Colette.
"I missed you. And with Maman and Papa recently passing I wanted to normal for once and to see you. I have been hidden for so long because…" she stopped as Giles pulled her close to him in a forceful kiss.
"Giles," shouted Buffy as the others stared at the couple. Giles pulled away.
"Everyone this is my wife. Colette this the team. Buffy the Slayer, Willow and Xander," Giles pointed towards each of the students in turn.
"But she's so young and not to be mean but Giles your not," Willow stated.
"Oh, that," Colette laughed. "I am older than Rupert."
"But your… you're what," Xander scuttered.
"I think you have some explaining," Buffy said. "And quickly."
The group seat down around the table to talk.
"I first meet Rupert when he was at Oxford. I was working locally and we meet in the Library. He had just returned after…" Colette started their story.
"You knew him as Ripper?" asked Buffy, Willow and Xander together.
"Yes," Colette giggled.
"And we will never bring that up again," Giles whispered in pain.
"Spoilsport," Colette kissed Giles. "Anyway, he came up to me and asked about the book I was reading. He was so sweet and we talked for hours. They had to kick us out. I knew that his destiny was to be a great Watcher and he has."
"How is it that you are…?" Xander motioned to his face.
"Oh mmm, " Colette looked down. "You tell them."
"Colette's full name is Colette Aalis Flamel," Giles said.
"Flamel as in Nichols Flamel the philosopher?" asked Willow. "Was he not also an early alchemist?"
"Correct, Willow," Giles said as Colette nodded.
"So you have a famous relative," Buffy said. "What about it?"
"I remember reading about him. He is said to be the only person to have successfully to have created the Philosopher's Stone," Willow was excited. "Little is known about him."
"Will father was very clever," Colette simply stated. The students all looked at her as if she had grown a second head. "Yes, I said, father. My English still is not perfect but I said the correct word."
"How old are you?" Buffy asked.
"I was born in 1780 in Paris," Colette remembered.
"Are you a vampire?" asked Xander reaching for a cross. "Or a demon?"
"Of course not. Just very old," Colette giggled. "I can die but…"
Giles looked shocked at this. Colette laughed harder. "Planning to die my love?" he demanded in a smooth voice.
"No," Colette whispered hugging closer to Giles side. She tried not to think for her last couple of years. "I was in hiding in Europe for a little bit. But when I heard that Rupert had got a job working in a school's library in America. So I thought I would try and get a job here."
"What do you mean?" Giles asked. "The tea."
"So you are not a student?" Willow asked.
"Not really I am the new student Librarian. Or the library assistant," Colette smiled. "The principal is nice in a not really sort of way. It did not take much for me to get the role."
"You did not?" Giles gasped thinking for what she was capable of doing.
"No," Colette kissed Giles' cheek to calm him down. "It was just a short interview. We had the phone one a week ago. He said he had told you," she stuttered nervously thinking that she had done something wrong.
"I must have not been listening," Giles removed his glasses in shame. "I sometimes stop listening when he speaks."
Willow looked down at her watch and noticed the time. "Guys I think we should go next period starts in a couple of minutes."
The students left the library a little put out that they had to get to class, leaving Giles and Colette behind in the library.
"Maybe I should show you around," Rupert looked down at his wife. She smiled up at him as he pulled her towards the many stacks of books up the stairs.
"Do they not know who the real Rupert Giles is?" Colette joked with a giggle.
"Thank you for the tea," Giles whispered in her ear. She pulled him close to her by the tie and kissed him.