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Chapter Twenty-seven: Facing your past

When Giles shut the door he couldn't help but feel guilty for doing that but he had to keep his distance. If that demon is after him he had to keep those that loved safe. Then he went back to calling those that were in the group all those years ago.

"I'm sorry to disturb you. I realize it's five in the morning there. Um...ah...I'm trying to reach Diedre Page. My name is Rupert Giles. She knows me. It's very important." Giles asked and then he got saden when he got the news. "I'm terribly sorry. I didn't know. When did she, er...pass away? Oh. That recently. Erm… Yes. Yes. We were friends when we were young. My condolences."

He hung up and took another swing of his drink before crossing the name off the list. All that was left was him and Ethan Rayne. Needing to cool down he went over to the sink to splash himself with cold water. When he was rolling up his sleeves, on the upper part of his right was the demon mark.

"So. You're back." Giles glared

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.

.

After Kagome had talked to Buffy last night the two agreed to see if Ms. Calendar knew anything. So the two had Vlad drive them to the school as they knew if Jenny would be there with the others.

"All right guys. The first thing we're gonna do is...Buffy? Kagome? Apollo?" Jenny said in surprise.

"Did I fall asleep already?" Xander asked

"Aw, you miss your friends." Willow smiled

"Hey one of you can sit here. Demilitarize the zone between us." Xander begged

"Yeah, and delouse him while you're at it." Cordelia scoffed

"Actually, we needed to talk to you for a second." Kagome said to Jenny.

"Is something wrong?" Jenny asked

"Is there some crisis that requires instant action? Very far from here?" Xander asked in hope.

"It's my dad." Kagome said

"Oh. He's all right, isn't he?" Jenny asked

"We don't know. He didn't show up when he was supposed to last night." Buffy explained

"And then, when I went over to his place he was acting...well, not like himself. He wouldn't let me in. And he looked really bad, that I believe he was drinking...and it was not tea." Kagome said

"He was home alone drinking?" Jenny asked in surprise.

"Yep. Yep. I knew this would happen. Nobody can be as straight as Giles without a dark side erupting." Xander nodded "My Uncle Rory was the stodgiest taxidermist you've ever met, by day. By night, it was booze, whores and fur flyin'. Were there whores?"

"Ew, that's my dad you're talking about. And no he was alone." Kagome said

"Sorry." Xander said "But give it time."

"So, no one has noticed anything different?" Buffy asked

Everyone shook their heads as they didn't. Then Cordelia mentioned how she saw him talking to the police the other day but seemed normal. This got everyone's attention and Kagome and Buffy were furious that she didn't say anything until now. Saving her from their wrath Jenny intervened and asked Cordelia if she knew what the police were talking to Giles about.

"Oh, don't tell me. I know this one. Um...Something about...a homicide." She said

"That's it. I'm calling him right now." Kagome said

She and Buffy hurried to the library to use the phone but they stopped when they heard clutter behind the bookshelves. Kagome didn't sense her father but it was someone else. They checked it out as they got deeper Kagome had to pull Buffy away from one of the bookshelves when it fell down. It would have hit her if she walked any closer. The two found the man and Kagome quickly hit him in the head with a book. Buffy pulled him up when he hit the ground.

"I know you. You ran that costume shop." She said

"Oh, I'm pleased you remember." Ethan mocked

He tried to turn around but Kagome hit him in the face.

"Those costumes you sold them nearly got everyone killed." She glared

"I see you got your moms' right hook." He groaned while holding his nose.

"What are you doing here?" Buffy asked

"Snooping around." Ethan shrugged

"Honesty. Nice touch." Kagome scoffed

"It's one of my virtues." Ethan said "Not really."

"I've got a great idea. Why don't I call the police and have you arrested for breaking and entering, then we can get back to our fun Saturday." Buffy replied

"Yes, the police. They'll have all those questions and they'll need Rupert to answer them." He said

"How do you know my dad?" Kagome asked "Actually how do you know my mother?"

"Well Giles and I go back. Way back and your mom well...she never liked me." He said "You two wouldn't happen to know where he is, do you?"

The girls looked at each other and had him explain everything that was going on. After the explanation Kagome quickly called Giles.

"Hello." Giles slur over the phone.

"Daddy, it's me." Kagome said

"Kagome, unless this is an emergency, I'll see you on Monday." He said "What's the Mark of Eyghon?" She asked "Daddy?"

"Cat got his tongue?" Ethan joked

"Buffy and I are in your office with someone who claims to be an old friend of yours. Ethan Rayne." She said

"He's there with you?" Gile asked "Listen, Kagome. You're in grave danger while Ethan's there. I want you to put the phone down and get out of the library now. Go to your mothers."

"I'm not going anywhere until you give me some answers." Kagome argued

That's when someone suddenly crashed into one of the windows. With Kagome and Buffy, the two backed away with Ethan having them as shields. The demon came stumbling in and looked at the three. When he saw Ethan, the coward tried to run away but Vlad tackled him down when he and others appeared. Then Buffy and Kagome handle the demon and ended up caging it in one of the storage rooms before locking the door. Since the demon was secured for now, Vlad and Xander tied Ethan up to a chair.

"I'm not getting close enough to feel his pulse, but...he looks dead." Willow said

"No a demon is using it." Kagome said

"Sorry, Phillip. Really, I am." Ethan said with fake sympathy.

Suddenly Giles came running in the room.

"Is everyone all right?" He asked

"Super. Vlad tackled the guy." Cordiela said

"We're Ok." Jenny said

"The demon in the dead guy here interrupted our tutorial." Xander smiled and got closer to the cage. "I've been meaning to thank you for that."

He jumped back when the demon roared at him.

"It can't be." Giles whispered

"Yes, it can." Ethan smirked "Hello, Ripper."

"I thought I told you to leave town." Giles glared

"You did. I didn't. Shop's lease is paid till the end of the month." Ethan joked

He was gonna say more but Giles grabbed him by the throat, which surprised everyone.

"You should have left when I told you." Giles glared

"Daddy." Kagome said in shock.

"You put my daughter and these people in danger. All these people I care about." Giles glared

"If you cared so much about them, why didn't you leave town?" Ethan asked "You've been having the dreams. I know. I have. We both know what's coming."

"What dreams? What is going on here?" Kagome asked

"Tell her, Ripper." Ethan said

"Daddy!" Kagome said

Before he could say anything the demon got out and the door ended up hitting Jenny. Giles quickly hurried over to save her and Buffy kicked the demon back against the door. Kagome was about to purify it but something happened. The demon couldn't handle the dead body anymore and it fell, turning itself into green goo. This freaky people out but Buffy noticed that Ethan had got away and went to go find him. No one noticed when the green goo touched Jenny's hand.

"Daddy, what's going on?" Kagome asked

"It's complicated, Kagome. And quite frankly, it's private." Giles said

"Daddy, we were attacked by a demon possessing a dead man. If you don't tell me then I'll ask Mama. Ethan said he knew her so she must know something." Kagome glared

"Kagome…"

"Giles, share. What is the Mark of Eyghon?" Buffy asked

"Hey. As your Watcher, I'm telling you unequivocally to stay out of it. And Kagome as you father, it's the same." He said in anger before looking at Jenny. "I have to get Jenny home."

"Mm...Thank you." Jenny said

Both Kagome and Buffy couldn't believe he yelled at them like that. Not caring if he'll get mad, Kagome called her mom. She may be the only one beside that Ethan could tell them anything. After a few minutes while Buffy and the others were researching the Mark of Eyghon, Ruka arrived in the library.

"Well this is new. Back in my days teenagers go out on Saturdays." Ruka smiled "What's going on, dear, you sounded upset?"

"It's daddy. Mama, do you know anything about the Mark of Eyghon?" Kagome asked

Ruka's smile went away and was replaced with concern.

"How do you know about that?" She asked

"We were attacked by something that possessed a dead man and it was after Giles and Ethan." Buffy said

"Ethan Ryane is still here? After Giles' warning...I swear that man…" Ruka seethed and started pacing around.

"Mama. Mama. What's going on?" Kagome asked

Ruka sighed and sat with her daughter.

"Your father was a very different man back in the 70's. He rebelled a lot back in those days and Ethan was his best friend. Those two along with a few others had started this cult that worshiped the Mark of Eyghon. It's a sleepwalker demon that possessed an unconscious host. Giles and the others got hooked by powers it gave them. I never took part of it as I knew it was wrong and tried to destroy me. But my friend Miranda did and took control of her." Ruka explained "When I tried to save her it attacked me and almost killed me. Giles saved me in the end. After that I told Giles I was never going back. I was going to leave but he promised me that he'll stop and give up on the cult. That is when Giles cut his ties with Ethan as he didn't want to stop and saw the madman that he was."

"So now the demon is back and is looking for revenge on those it summoned." Buffy said, putting things together.

"It would seem so." Ruka nodded

"But wait a minute. The dead guy's all puddly now." Buffy replied

"So the demon's gone." Cordiela said "There was no one dead to jump into."

"Was anyone unconscious? That's how the demon used to transport and possess people." Ruka said

They looked at each other and realized that Jenny was unconscious. They tried calling both Ms. Calendar and Giles place but no one was answering. So Ruka took Kagome and Buffy to Giles' place and they were able to stop the possessed Jenny from killing Giles. When the demon saw Ruka and Kagome it ran off, knowing well that the priestesses will kill it. Giles was a little out of it as he still couldn't believe that Jenny was possessed. Thankfully, the three women were able to bring him back.

"Thank you Ruka for bringing them." He said

"Well the girls told me about Eyghon and how Ethan was still here I knew I needed to get involved." She said

"Do they…?" He asked

"Know about your dark past, yeah we do." Buffy said "And we don't blame you for anything."

"But now we need to find Ethan before the demon does." Ruka said before muttering. "Still not sure if that's a good thing or a bad thing."

"I'm coming with you." Giles said

"Daddy, I think that's not a good idea, you're not yourself." Kagome replied "We need to find a way to save Jenny from the demon."

"I think I know a way." Buffy said

While Buffy was getting what she needed Kagome and Ruka looked for Ethan. They checked the store that he had and found him.

"Ruka, wonderful seeing you again." Ethan smiled

"Ethan." Ruka glared

"I'm touched, you came to protect me. And I thought you never liked me." He teased

"Oh believe me, I still don't. But it doesn't mean that you should die, no matter how much I hate you." Ruka said "Now come with us. Kagome is planning to place you and Giles in a protected seal room with powerful sutras placed around it. Eyghon won't be able to get in at all."

"And how will you be able to free the poor soul from the demon?" Ethan asked

"Buffy is working on that." Kagome said

Then with quick speed Kagome threw a senbon at Ethan's neck. It was covered in sleeping powder so he was knocked quick. Ruka knew Ethan would have tried to backstab them in the end, as it was in his nature. They called for Giles to come over and had him and the still knocked out Ethan in the back room. Kagome placed the sutras' in the room and the two waited. Thanks to the tattoos the demon came and Kagome and Ruka fought it off. After a few minutes Angel appeared with Buffy and the others behind him. While Angel was choking Jenny the demon decided to try and possess him instead. Too bad for the demon Angel was stronger than itself. Jenny was saved but Ethan ended disappearing again. In the end they won the battle but it might have placed a wrench on Giles and Jenny's relationship. After making sure she was alright he came to Ruka's house so he apologised to Kagome for the way he acted. When she went to bed Ruka stayed down with him as she knew he needed to talk to someone.

"How's Jenny?" Ruka asked

She gave him some tea before sitting down next to him.

"I don't think she'll ever really forgive me." He said "Maybe she shouldn't."

"Maybe you should." She said "I did."

"I promised that I would never let you see that side of me again. And I never wanted Kagome to see it." Giles replied

"Well I'm not gonna lie to you. You did scare her a bit and she's seen and faced scary things in the past." She said "She and the other kids are used to seeing you as an adult...now they find out that you're a person."

"Most adults are." He smiled "Some are even shortsighted...foolish people."

"It normally takes a while for them to see it. Now they see that we had more in common with them than they thought." She smiled

She looked at the grandfather clock in the room and saw that it was near 1 pm.

"Well I'm gonna turn in. You can stay the night if you want, don't think you shouldn't be alone tonight." She offered

Knowing that she was right he once again took the guest room and was gonna turn in too.

"Ruka." He said

"Yes, Giles?" She asked

"Thank you...for everything." He smiled

"We are still friends, Rupert, and I will always still care for you, no matter what." She smiled "Goodnight."

"Goodnight." Giles smiled