Walking down the hall with Buffy I looked at her confused "So not only did Giles miss the hospital thing he shut them door in your face?" I asked her as we walked towards the computer room, Buffy had came home last night pissed that Giles had missed their oh-so-important meet up.
Following Buffy into the room I crossed my arms and leaned against the door frame as Buffy walked over to Jenny's desk "Alright, guys. The first thing we're gonna do is... Buffy, Nicola!" I smiled when Jenny looked shocked to see us but my smiled dropped when I realized she had called me Nicola "It's Nikki" I mutter as Buffy smirks at me.
"Huh? Did I fall asleep already?" Xander says sitting up straight in his chair making me grimace at the thought of what he dreams about especially if it involved Buffy and I, we all remember how that went when he did the love spell thing.
"Aw, you miss your friends?" Willow smiles at us bouncing in her chair a little looking happy to see us again "Uh, sit here, one of you!" Xander pleads getting up quickly and points to his chair "Demilitarize the zone between me and Cordelia!".
I smirked at Cordelia's bitch face as she glared at Xander but looked equally pleading for us to separate them "Yeah, and delouse him while you're at it" Cordelia scathes as she huffs angrily, Buffy turns to Jenny with a look "Actually I wanted to talk to you for a second?" Jenny looks at us confused before nodding "Something wrong?".
Buffy turns to me but I just shrug knowing we'd be telling the gang later anyway, Xander seeing the look Buffy gave me puts his hands on his hips "Is there some crisis that requires instant action? Very far from here?" Buffy looks back around and sighs heavily "It's Giles" Everyone looks at us in shock and fear.
"Well, he's alright, isn't he?" Jenny asks desperately as Buffy looks at her helpless "I don't know. Uh, he didn't show up when he was supposed to last night, and then, when I went over to his place, he was acting... well, very anti-Giles. He wouldn't let me in, and he looked really bad. I-I think he might've been... I think he was drinking".
Jenny looks at Buffy in disbelief shaking her head as the rest of the gang gasps surprised "He was home alone drinking?" Jenny asks worried crossing her arms thoughtfully, Willow steps forward playing nervously with her hands "But... tea, right?". I shake my head and bit my lip "Wasn't tea, Will" Xander sighs and rubs his face like he knew what was going on "Yep, yep, I knew this would happen. Nobody can be wound as straight and narrow as Giles without a dark side erupting. My Uncle Roary was the stodgiest taxidermist you've ever met by day. By night, it was booze, whores, and fur flying. Were there whores?".
We all looked at Xander in annoyance and Buffy shakes her head "He was alone" Xander nods seriously "Give it time" Buffy huffs at him but turns to look at everyone "So, none of you guys have noticed anything different lately?".
We all shake our head Giles seemed pretty much like Giles plus he was never one to divulge into his home life he kept that to himself "No, he seemed perfectly normal yesterday when I saw him talking to the police" Cordelia says aloud and we all turn to stare at her in disbelief.
"And you waited till now to tell us this because?" I growled at her sucking the inside of my cheek knowing I was dying to say much worse "I didn't think it was important" Cordelia said shrugging her shoulder carelessly like it wasn't important to her, I opened my mouth to retort when Buffy just shook her head at me.
"We understand. It wasn't about you" Xander spat at Cordelia truthfully who just pulls a face at him "Well, what were the police talking to him about?" Jenny questions looking at Cordelia annoyed she obviously thought the same as we did.
"Oh, don't tell me, I know this one. Um...Something about... a homicide" Cordelia says clicking her fingers like she'd solved something, We all looked at each other in shock how could Giles be caught up in a homicide and why hadn't he come to us for help.
Rubbing my temples with an annoyed sigh I looked at Buffy we were getting nowhere fast "That's it. I-I'm calling him right now" I tell her walking out of the room and to the library it was the only place other than Snyder's office that had a phone, pushing through the library doors I headed for Giles' office when I hear a noise coming from in the stacks.
Stopping I turn and look only to see a shadow move across one of the bookcases in the anteroom. My eyes widened when I realized someone was here who shouldn't be here, creeping up stairs and through the french doors I slowly walk down the main aisle, looking down each side aisle.
Looking around I sighed when the shadow disappears "Damn" I whisper when I couldn't see the intruder anymore, I let out a gasp when the bookcase next to me suddenly drops. Jumping out of the way I looked back to see a familiar face, he turns tries to make his escape, but he's limping heavily and can't run.
Grabbing him I turn him and push him against a bookshelf roughly "I know you! You were in that costume shop" I shout pushing him into the bookcase harder making him squeal a little"Oh, I'm pleased you remember" he mutters sarcastically trying to escape as I glare at him and growl "You sold me that stupid vampire dress for Halloween, and nearly got us all killed!".
The man smiled deviously "But you looked great" Glaring at him harder I pulled my fist back and punched him squarely in the jaw making his head his the bookshelf behind him"Owww!" he says holding his jaw and rubbing the back of his head "So now we're even?" he asks looking at me pleadingly.
"I'll let you know when we're even. What're you doing here?" I growled at him as he held his hands up in defense "Snooping around" he says shrugging his arms like it was the most normal thing in the world.
I crossed my arms and nodded my head "Honesty. Nice touch" I say giving him a sarcastic smile "It's one of my virtues" he tells me smirking until he realizes I'm not smiling "Not really".
I mock gasp and click my fingers "I've got a great idea why don't I just call the police and have you arrested for breaking and entering, and then I can get back to my fun Saturday?" The man smiles at me amused before chuckling "Yes, the police. Well, they'll have all those questions, and they'll really need Rupert to answer them all".
I look at the man shocked letting my guard slip just a little "You know Giles?" The man smirks at me again obviously sensing the shift in power "We go back. Way back. You don't happen to know where he is, do you?".
Sitting in Giles' office I stared at the phone trying to make sense out of what I had just been told, picking up the phone I dialed Giles' number and tensed my jaw angry that Giles had been keeping things from us, I huffed when I looked over my shoulder to see 'Ethan' leaning against the wall, arms crossed with a smirk.
"Hello?" I almost smiled at the familiar voice but the tone of his voice worried me "Giles, it's me" I said with a heavy sigh sick of the situation already "Nikki, u-unless this is an emergency, I'll see you on Monday" Giles tells me exhaling sounding exhausted "What's the Mark of Eyghon?.
Everything goes quiet on the phone almost like he wasn't there "Giles?" I call into the phone wondering where he had gone "Cat got his tongue?" Ethan asks me with a smirk as I send him a dirty look over my shoulder"I'm in your office with someone who claims to be an old friend of yours, Ethan Rayne?" I say into the phone hoping that Giles was still there.
I hear Giles gasp on the end of the line and my stomach drops, something was wrong "He's there with you? Listen, Nicola, you're... you're in grave danger while Ethan's there. I want you to put the phone down and get out of the library as soon as possible" I frown when Giles used my full name as I looked over at Ethan and shake my head he doesn't seem so dangerous "I'm not going anywhere until you give me some answers!" I jump up when something crashes through the window.
Pushing myself up from the chair I huff when Ethan stands behind me and holds me in front of him as we back into the counter like a human shield. The dead looking guy who jumped through the window follow us and runs for me, I kick him in the chest and roll over the counter.
He comes through the door and at me again as Ethan climbs over the counter, too "Ethan!" The dead looking man shouts, I turn to see the gang come through the door "Don't let him get away!" I shout to them pointing to Ethan who was making his way out of the library, Xander tries to push Ethan up against the counter but gets shoved aside.
Ethan tries to make his escape but Cordelia knees him in the crotch and he collapses, Looking around for what I can do with the dead guy I spot Giles' cage it's door was open I back toward it and he hurries to follow me but I sidestep at the last minute and kick him into the cage "That should hold you".