A/N: Much like the last chapter, it's pretty much completely AU. No obvious canon scene edits, just finishing this story.
"Giles!" Anya surprised the room by launching herself into the Brit's arms.
"Hello, Anya." Giles smiled, patting her gently on the back.
"You don't want your shop back right? 'Cause I'm really doing well at the Magic Box, regular customers, suppliers, I-"
"Giles, what are you doing here?" Willow interrupted Anya. "Not that I'm not happy to see you." Willow, Xander and Dawn slotted themselves into his embrace next, someone older, wiser, it felt like he was there to make everything right again.
"The Coven in Devon. They felt the mystical energy, that something not quite right was happening in Sunnydale. I now see what." Sadness filled his eyes as he crossed the room to Buffy's bedside. "Buffy." He tucked a loose strand of hair behind her ear.
"Giles you're not as powerful as Willow. How do you expect to wake her up?" Anya pointed out.
"I see you haven't lost your charm, Anya." Giles said dryly. "But the Coven loaned me some power. I can do it."
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The place reeked of stolen magic. Two demons and a witch were slumped in the dingy waiting room, their next fix was clearly dire as none of them were even moving. Spike hated to think of Dawn sitting in this place that night. With one swift kick, he booted down the door to Rack's main room, ignoring the outbursts of "wait your turn" from behind him.
"RACK!"
The woman floating above Rack's head fell back to the sofa with a thump.
"William the Bloody. I was expecting you." Rack smiled knowingly.
"Yeah you're the greatest warlock ever, where's the boy?" Spike growled into gameface.
"He was here earlier. Though he's not here now." Spike leapt across the room and grabbed Rack by the throat. "You can't kill me like that vampire. You know better."
"Don't give a toss if I kill you or not. You know who I'm after. Tell me where he is." Spike squeezed his throat a bit tighter. "Besides lack of oxygen is bloody uncomfortable even if it doesn't kill you."
"I don't know where he went." Rack choked out.
"Bull. You're into all that psychic mumbo jumbo. Tell me where he went." Spike drew back his fist and socked the warlock in the jaw, sending his head reeling back.
"He's on the run." Rack spat a gob of blood out of his mouth. "I don't know where."
"Why was he here? What kind of magic is he packing?"
"Nothing. Or at least very little. I couldn't provide the kind of protection he wanted." Rack revealed.
Spike released him to the ground and turned to saunter off. Suddenly, he spun back, booting him straight between the legs with his chunky Doc Martens. "That's for Red."
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"Did you get everything?" Dawn jumped on Xander and Anya as soon as they returned to Buffy and Tara's room.
"Yep. Everything the Magic Box has to offer." The couple laid down the items they'd acquired for the spell. A few candles in varying colours, a large and dusty spell tome, three sprigs of some kind of herb and some dried mandrake root. "And some clothes for her." Anya added dumping a sweatshirt and pants on the table.
"Very good. Thank you." Giles set about arranging the candles around Buffy's bedside, placing the three herbs over her heart and the mandrake root over her bullet wound.
"Where do you want us G-Man?" Xander wondered.
"I'd advise you stand back, I'm not sure what will happen. But it should be fairly natural."
Giles placed a hand gently on Buffy's body. "Resipisco. Resipisco. Resipisco."
"That was it?" Willow mumbled to Xander who shrugged.
Slowly, Buffy's eyes twitched, her fingers wiggled. "Hmmmm..."
"Buffy. Buffy, dear. It's time to wake up now." Giles whispered.
"Gilessss?" Buffy scrunched up her face and her eyelids popped open, travelling to the hospital, the candles, the herbs and the concerned faces of her friends. "Did I die again?"
"Not quite." Giles grinned. "Not that I think that would stop you."
Buffy leaned up, wrapping her arms around Giles' neck. "I'm glad you're back."
"I'm glad you're back." Dawn threw her body over her sister's lap.
Buffy chuckled and stroked through her dark hair. "So what-" Her head turned to see Tara lying next to her. "Tara. It was Warren. He...he shot us. Is she-"
"She's gonna be okay. Under anaesthetic for a bit but...she'll wake up in a couple days." Xander informed Buffy.
"But why did you guys wake me up? Isn't Warren the law's problem? What's going on?" Buffy looked to all of her friends.
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He was close. The smell of snivelling nerd was overwhelming. Not to mention snivelling, petrified, one-true-love-killing, momma's boy nerd, Warren Mears. Spike took a deep breath in through his nose, honing in on scent. A few miles to go. But he was coming.
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"How am I supposed to find Spike though?" Buffy worried, pulling a pair of jeans under the hospital gown and then a sweatshirt over the top that Anya and Xander had grabbed from Revello Drive.
"I'm thinking Giles is the one to help with that." Willow nodded towards the Watcher.
"The Coven did...imbue me with a sixth sense, as it were, for the danger they were predicting. Perhaps I would be able to conjure something you could follow." Giles suggested.
"Lead on, Macduff." Buffy stepped back. "Am I not gonna get any credit for quoting Shakespeare right after being shot?"
"Yes. Well done." Giles rolled his eyes. He flipped his hand palm out, closed his eyes tightly shut and took a deep breath in.
Slowly, a golden light began to seep from his open hand. It got brighter and bigger the further it came from his body until it resembled a small light bulb, hovering excitedly.
"I believe that's it. I felt them...The Coven I mean. All of them together. It'll lead you to the danger they spoke of." Giles explained.
"I'd put my money on that being our vamp buddy." Xander nodded.
"I guess...I gotta get going then." Buffy noticed the energy ball zipping around the hospital room.
Dawn pressed her into a hug. "Be careful."
"I always am." Buffy dropped a kiss to her head and crossed the room to Willow.
The redhead was sitting by Tara's side, caressing her hand lovingly. "See you guys later. Get well soon, Tara." Buffy smiled sadly, placing a hand on her cheek.
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"Spike? I...ummm...what are you doing here?" Warren panted.
Spike had accosted him in alley just on his way out of Sunnydale. Sunlight wasn't far off, the kill would have to be quick. Shame. But dead's dead.
"It's called revenge."
