Even the gentlest
"I'd like to test that theory"
Rupert Giles extended his hands as he cast the powerful spells at Willow, his outward expression was calm, but on the inside, he grieved. He grieved for Tara, she had only been in their lives for what felt like months, not nearly long enough, but Giles had come to love her as his own child, just as he had all of his young friends. He grieved for Willow, the Coven had shown him those final, terrible moments, the breaking of the glass, the blood splatter, he had been forced to watch the love of his life die in his arms as well, long before he came to America, he knew the pain, and he grieved that the sweet, innocent child he had met more than half a decade earlier had been put through that hell. He grieved for Buffy and Xander and Dawn, forced to cope with this loss and at the same time, survive an assault from the girl they loved so dearly. He knew it wasn't Willow's fault, the dark powers only needed a moment of weakness to take your free will, and it was impossible to fight them alone. Giles himself had been taken over, and he only remained free now because by his own power he was weak, and the dark forces had no use for him…and his own darkness…Giles shook his head, that would come in good time.
He and Willow fought briefly, but his unexpected power gave him an edge, and although his own power was small, he had decades of experience on her, and the duel was concluded with minimal fuss. Buffy ran over and hugged him. "Giles, I'm so sorry, I was slowing her down from killing Warren, but Willow is just so…so strong" her voice wavered at that, it had traumatized her, to fight one girl she loved almost like a sister, immediately after losing another. Buffy wanted to go after Warren, to make him pay, but even setting aside her need to defend the other Scoobies, Buffy didn't usually have it in her to take a human life. This was not her fight. Without losing his proper, Giles-y tone, Giles began cleaning his glasses and said 'Buffy, do you remember my old associate Ethan? The one who openly mocked you, but showed a healthy respect for me? When he called me Ripper, that was not just a phase. When I was young, I created another personality through magic, one that I have worked very hardtop control, to keep him away from a helpless world. Ethan would challenge the Old Ones, he embraces both pain and death, and he went mad long ago, but even he fears what he helped me create. I had hoped that you would never know Ripper, but tonight, I will be letting him out. Warren has crossed the line I hold most dear, and Ripper is the only one of us who can deal with him. I am not strong enough, and the rest of you would break under the damage to your soul. Tonight, I will locate Mr. Mears, Ripper will have a nice talk with him…' he put his glasses back on, still speaking calmly 'and then, Ripper will kill him so extremely that the authorities will never even know the remains were human'
As Giles left the shop, his attitude changed. He stood taller, moving with the grace of a jungle cat, he took his glasses off, and all kindness in his eyes faded away. This was not Rupert Giles. After decades held in check, Ripper was out in the world again, thirsty for death. Ripper was a powerful spirit, bound to this human decades ago, but Giles had the stronger will. As much as Ripper longed to kick in the nearest door and massacre the entire town, that would make this his last night free beneath the stars. If he did what Giles wanted, only seeking direct revenge, he would be free again sooner. Last time, Ripper had left Giles an orphan, and had paid dearly for that momentary pleasure, after nearly twenty years, Giles was forced to use Ripper again. Ripper had no idea how to find this doomed man, this Warren, nor even what he looked like, but, he thought as he turned down the street to the local jail, these were easily resolved issues.
The police were away, most likely dealing with some mess or another Willow had made on her rampage, Ripper simply walked in, right to the cell holding two terrified nerds. 'Hello boys' he said calmly, cleaning his glasses as he opened the door and stepped inside 'we need to have a little chat' 'we won't tell you anything!' snapped Andrew 'we're loyal to Warren!' 'I'm not' said Jonathan 'how can I help you Mr. Giles?' Enraged at the lack of loyalty from a young man with no reason to be loyal, Andrew came at Jonathan, hands outstretched, Ripper calmly stepped between them, ignoring the feeble punch, and snapped Andrew's neck like a toothpick. Jonathan went pale and started talking quickly. Ten minutes later, Giles had a description of Warren and knowledge of an amulet he was carrying, the box from the orbs he had used to fight Buffy. It protected him from low level magical attack, which suited Ripper just fine; he preferred a sharp knife and a slow touch. The destructive entity in the body of the British man reveled in the cool night, Ripper had not been allowed to spill blood in decades, now it would kill twice in a night, any many times to come by the Hellmouth.
As the form of Rupert Giles entered the forest, the transformation continued, the air grew cold around the Watcher, animals fled before him, and the malice in his eyes made them quite literally glow red, even at a casual glance, it was obvious that it was not a human in control tonight, it was something dark, something that saw Warren scrambling away. A flick of the wrist and a throwing knife had appeared and closed the distance between them, going through Warren's hand and pinning him to a tree. The suddenly penitent murderer cried out, and started pleading for his life. He knew that Tara had died, and he pleaded that it was an accident, and what would his family say and please don't kill him. Ripper shook Giles' head in disgust at the hypocrisy. Warren had not meant to kill Tara, but he had intended to kill an unarmed girl, and now he wasn't even man enough to take what he dealt. Giles had chosen to send this brute after him, but there was no hypocrisy, Giles had stood his ground before the sadism of Angelus, he understood and accepted pain. Ripper pulled a nutcracker from one pocket.
'So, Warren, you are right handed, correct?' Giles asked in a deceptively mild tone. He grasped Warren's right index finger 'that would make this the finger that killed Tara?' he pulled out pliers and as Warren screamed, he pulped the finger. For the next six hours, Ripper vented on Warren, Ripper vented for himself, decades of the rage of a demon trapped in a librarian, the hatred of his prison, he rented for Giles, the grief and guilt and helplessness watching Buffy fight the end so many times, he felt the horror at finding Jenny dead, the blinding rage going after Angelus, the terror at the thought of Glory taking Dawn, the fury Giles had felt towards Ripper himself. All of it was taken out on Warren that night, the coward had feared death above all things in the light of day, under the moon, he begged for death in under an hour, and Ripper would not let him die. If it had been possible to raise the dead with screams and toil, Ripper would have beaten Jenny, Joyce and Tara fresh life out of Warren, alas, it was not, and all he could do was use Warren to protect the loved ones he had left, this was NEVER going to happen again.
As the sun came up, Ripper retreated back into Giles. The task was completed, the authorities would need a DNA test to discern that Warren had even been human, Giles had a shrunken head to put in the window of the Magic Box, and he had caught a snooping vamp and given him instructions to spread the word, and that this was the fate of anyone to so much as touch his little family again, and that it would be wise for the local vamps to ensure nobody else tried. Giles straightened, old joints creaking as he felt his age again, he was heartbroken, and he knew that Willow needed him now, but even as one weight had settled on his shoulders, others had been lifted. That should buy peace, at least for a while, Willow was broken but did not have blood on her hands, and he knew that Ripper would obey him now. Giles hurt all over, physically, emotionally and spiritually, but to protect the ones he loved, it was a price he would gladly pay.