Chapter 24
Giles' Apartment
4 pm
"I get that reaction a lot," Charlotte said calmly. "For some reason,
just because I'm only 5'2'', it seems to follow in everyone's mind
that I'm easy to beat. I don't mind that, though. Because when demons
underestimate me, it's all the easier for me to kill them."
"I'm glad you told me to sit down, Giles," Buffy said. "Because I
think I feel like I would feel if I was going to faint. And I'd hate
to embarrass myself like that in front of another Slayer."
"Breathe, Buffy," Willow suggested.
"Breathe," Buffy agreed, nodding. "Breathing is an underrated thing."
She turned to Charlotte, and asked, "You're not demented, are you?"
"Buffy!" Willow exclaimed in shock.
Charlotte laughed. "No, I'm not," she answered Buffy. "I've heard
about the girl that I'm replacing, and I'm nothing like her. I've had
a wonderful childhood, and I get along perfectly with my Watcher. It
helps that he's my big brother. I think you've met Doyle?"
"I'm still sitting, right?" Buffy asked.
"Yes, Buffy. You're still sitting," Willow said patiently.
"I'm glad we have established that," Giles said sarcastically. "Now if
we could get to the reason I called you here?"
"I'm glad things are back to normal between us," Buffy
responded. "I've missed my daily dose of sarcasm."
"Which was that Charlotte is here," Giles said, continuing his train
of thought and ignoring Buffy's comment. "The Council sent her and
Mr. Doyle here so she can be of assistance in dealing with Adam."
"I hate to point out the obvious, Giles--"
"That's never stopped you before," Giles sighed.
Buffy rolled her eyes at the interruption, and continued, "--but we
could have twenty Slayers in Sunnydale, and it wouldn't matter,
because we still wouldn't know how to kill Adam."
"We don't know how to kill him _yet_," Giles agreed. "But that
knowledge will come. In the meantime, you and Charlotte need to learn
to fight together. You two will patrol together nightly, and train
together during the day. Both Doyle and I will be observing and
assisting with your training. All of us, including Wesley, who has
agreed to stay for a while, will continue our research. By the time
we find a weakness to exploit in Adam, hopefully you and Charlotte
will be ready to take advantage of it."
"Well, that was vague yet optimistic," Buffy replied. "And I don't
like this waiting around doing nothing thing."
"You won't be doing nothing," Giles said. "Training is not 'nothing'.
Continuing to protect the people of this town from the demon
population is not 'nothing'. I'm sorry if you don't like this plan,
but we all believe it is the best plan for now. Of course, you are
the Slayer, and I'm not truly your Watcher anymore. So you don't
_have_ to go along with this plan if you don't want to."
"Of course I'm going along with it, Giles," Buffy said. "I trust you,
you've never given me bad advice."
They were interrupted by a knock on the door. Oz was nearest, and
opened it. "Angel. I assume you're allowed in," Oz looked to Giles for
confirmation. Giles nodded, and Oz stepped back to let Angel in. He
walked over to sit on the arm of the couch next to Buffy.
Willow was the first to notice the obvious. "Wait, it's still light
out. You walked over here in the sun...."
she trailed off, as her jaw dropped at the realization.
&&&&&
Sunnydale Park
4 pm
"Okay, time to be serious" Cordelia said, pushing Doyle away from his
fascination with nibbling on her earlobe. "Serious? Now why would we
want to be that," Doyle teased, trying to return to the task at hand.
"Uh-uh," Cordelia pushed him away again, and said, "Behave, Doyle."
"I am," he said.
"Doyle!"
"Okay, okay. What do we need to be serious about, Princess?" he said,
and pulled her back against his chest, wrapping his arms around her.
"What we're going to do now," Cordelia replied. "I mean, you were
planning on there being a we, weren't you?"
"Of course I was, Cordelia," he reassured her. "Okay. The dreaded what
now talk. Well, Charlie and I are probably going to be in Sunnydale
for a month, at least. After that, I guess we're going back to
Ireland. It depends on where the Watcher's Council wants us, really."
"Doyle, you didn't answer my question," Cordelia reminded him.
"I know. I'm trying," he replied.
"Just ask, Doyle."
"Just ask, she says," he muttered. "Okay," he sighed, and turned her
by the shoulders to face him. "Cordelia, when Charlie and I are done
here, I want you to go with us when we leave."
"What do you _do_, Doyle? I mean, you're a Watcher, but what about a
job?"
"I do Private Investigator work, in Dublin. It helps when I need
access to any city records for research to help Charlie. I'm not rich
or anything, but it pays the bills."
"Oh," Cordelia nodded, "I think I can live with that."
"What?"
"I think I can live with that," Cordelia said, smiling.
"You can," he said still trying to believe what he was hearing.
"Doyle!" Cordelia hit him playfully, "How many more times do you need
me to say it?"
"Just once more, I think," he said, a dazed expression on his face.
"Okay, but I'm holding you to that," Cordelia warned. "I think I can
live with that, Doyle. Yes, I'll go with you," she said, stroking his
face with her hand. "I love you," she said, and this was almost a
whisper.
Doyle didn't have a response to that, other than to kiss her and hope
this would show her how much he loved her.
&&&&&&
Giles' Apartment
4:30
Buffy and Angel were enjoying Willow's bewilderment too much to help
her out, so Giles explained. "Yes, it appears that the Mohra demon's
blood was more regenerative than Cordelia let on."
"You're alive?" Willow asked.
Angel laughed, "Yes, I am."
"Wow, that's...I think I'll stick with wow," Willow said. "Wait, how
did _you_ know already?" she asked Giles.
"Wesley told me. I hope you don't mind, Angel," Giles said.
"Of course not," Angel said. "Anything that affects Buffy, the rest of
you have every right to know about it."
"Buffy, Angel, may I speak to you in the kitchen?" Giles asked.
"Sure, Giles," Buffy said, and they followed him into the kitchen.
"What?" she asked.
"It's none of my business if you and Angel are back together, but I--"
"Oh. I get it. This is where you remind me how dangerous it would be
for me to get distracted right now? Look, Giles. I appreciate the
concern, I really do. And given how bad it got at times when we were
together last, I understand it. But this is different."
"I realize that, Buffy. But Angel being human leads to a whole new set
of concerns."
"Such as?"
"Such as my reasons for reversing everything last time, Buffy," Angel
said. "I'm human, and my being in danger could put you in unnecessary
danger. Am I right, Giles?"
"Yes, actually," Giles nodded.
"If Angel went on Patrol with me, and he got hurt, yeah, I'd help him.
But how is that any different from when Xander, or Willow, or you get
hurt and I have to help you? I know this isn't going to be easy. But
we've decided that we need to at least try to make it work. I hope you
can respect that, even if you don't like it?" Buffy asked.
"Of course I can, Buffy," Giles said. "You deserve some happiness,
and I hope you can make this work. I just worry, if it wasn't Angel
it would be something else."
"Giles, if it makes you feel any better, I don't plan on patrolling
with Buffy. Not for a while, anyway. Not until I know I can be more
of a help than a hindrance," Angel said.
"I think that's a wise decision, and it does ease my mind a little,"
Giles replied.
"Giles! Buffy!" Willow yelled from the living room. The three moved to
see what she wanted them for.
Giles was the first one out, and Buffy was right behind him. She
stopped suddenly, and Angel barely kept from running into her. He
looked over her head, and met the eyes of Xander Harris. Angel looked
away, he couldn't stand the mixture of pain and hatred he saw looking
back at him.
"Xander," Buffy said, breaking the awkward silence. "We weren't
expecting--"
"No kidding," Xander said. "I gathered as much, what with the
murdering demon in the Watcher's house and all."
&&&&&&&&&&
END of 24
Giles' Apartment
4 pm
"I get that reaction a lot," Charlotte said calmly. "For some reason,
just because I'm only 5'2'', it seems to follow in everyone's mind
that I'm easy to beat. I don't mind that, though. Because when demons
underestimate me, it's all the easier for me to kill them."
"I'm glad you told me to sit down, Giles," Buffy said. "Because I
think I feel like I would feel if I was going to faint. And I'd hate
to embarrass myself like that in front of another Slayer."
"Breathe, Buffy," Willow suggested.
"Breathe," Buffy agreed, nodding. "Breathing is an underrated thing."
She turned to Charlotte, and asked, "You're not demented, are you?"
"Buffy!" Willow exclaimed in shock.
Charlotte laughed. "No, I'm not," she answered Buffy. "I've heard
about the girl that I'm replacing, and I'm nothing like her. I've had
a wonderful childhood, and I get along perfectly with my Watcher. It
helps that he's my big brother. I think you've met Doyle?"
"I'm still sitting, right?" Buffy asked.
"Yes, Buffy. You're still sitting," Willow said patiently.
"I'm glad we have established that," Giles said sarcastically. "Now if
we could get to the reason I called you here?"
"I'm glad things are back to normal between us," Buffy
responded. "I've missed my daily dose of sarcasm."
"Which was that Charlotte is here," Giles said, continuing his train
of thought and ignoring Buffy's comment. "The Council sent her and
Mr. Doyle here so she can be of assistance in dealing with Adam."
"I hate to point out the obvious, Giles--"
"That's never stopped you before," Giles sighed.
Buffy rolled her eyes at the interruption, and continued, "--but we
could have twenty Slayers in Sunnydale, and it wouldn't matter,
because we still wouldn't know how to kill Adam."
"We don't know how to kill him _yet_," Giles agreed. "But that
knowledge will come. In the meantime, you and Charlotte need to learn
to fight together. You two will patrol together nightly, and train
together during the day. Both Doyle and I will be observing and
assisting with your training. All of us, including Wesley, who has
agreed to stay for a while, will continue our research. By the time
we find a weakness to exploit in Adam, hopefully you and Charlotte
will be ready to take advantage of it."
"Well, that was vague yet optimistic," Buffy replied. "And I don't
like this waiting around doing nothing thing."
"You won't be doing nothing," Giles said. "Training is not 'nothing'.
Continuing to protect the people of this town from the demon
population is not 'nothing'. I'm sorry if you don't like this plan,
but we all believe it is the best plan for now. Of course, you are
the Slayer, and I'm not truly your Watcher anymore. So you don't
_have_ to go along with this plan if you don't want to."
"Of course I'm going along with it, Giles," Buffy said. "I trust you,
you've never given me bad advice."
They were interrupted by a knock on the door. Oz was nearest, and
opened it. "Angel. I assume you're allowed in," Oz looked to Giles for
confirmation. Giles nodded, and Oz stepped back to let Angel in. He
walked over to sit on the arm of the couch next to Buffy.
Willow was the first to notice the obvious. "Wait, it's still light
out. You walked over here in the sun...."
she trailed off, as her jaw dropped at the realization.
&&&&&
Sunnydale Park
4 pm
"Okay, time to be serious" Cordelia said, pushing Doyle away from his
fascination with nibbling on her earlobe. "Serious? Now why would we
want to be that," Doyle teased, trying to return to the task at hand.
"Uh-uh," Cordelia pushed him away again, and said, "Behave, Doyle."
"I am," he said.
"Doyle!"
"Okay, okay. What do we need to be serious about, Princess?" he said,
and pulled her back against his chest, wrapping his arms around her.
"What we're going to do now," Cordelia replied. "I mean, you were
planning on there being a we, weren't you?"
"Of course I was, Cordelia," he reassured her. "Okay. The dreaded what
now talk. Well, Charlie and I are probably going to be in Sunnydale
for a month, at least. After that, I guess we're going back to
Ireland. It depends on where the Watcher's Council wants us, really."
"Doyle, you didn't answer my question," Cordelia reminded him.
"I know. I'm trying," he replied.
"Just ask, Doyle."
"Just ask, she says," he muttered. "Okay," he sighed, and turned her
by the shoulders to face him. "Cordelia, when Charlie and I are done
here, I want you to go with us when we leave."
"What do you _do_, Doyle? I mean, you're a Watcher, but what about a
job?"
"I do Private Investigator work, in Dublin. It helps when I need
access to any city records for research to help Charlie. I'm not rich
or anything, but it pays the bills."
"Oh," Cordelia nodded, "I think I can live with that."
"What?"
"I think I can live with that," Cordelia said, smiling.
"You can," he said still trying to believe what he was hearing.
"Doyle!" Cordelia hit him playfully, "How many more times do you need
me to say it?"
"Just once more, I think," he said, a dazed expression on his face.
"Okay, but I'm holding you to that," Cordelia warned. "I think I can
live with that, Doyle. Yes, I'll go with you," she said, stroking his
face with her hand. "I love you," she said, and this was almost a
whisper.
Doyle didn't have a response to that, other than to kiss her and hope
this would show her how much he loved her.
&&&&&&
Giles' Apartment
4:30
Buffy and Angel were enjoying Willow's bewilderment too much to help
her out, so Giles explained. "Yes, it appears that the Mohra demon's
blood was more regenerative than Cordelia let on."
"You're alive?" Willow asked.
Angel laughed, "Yes, I am."
"Wow, that's...I think I'll stick with wow," Willow said. "Wait, how
did _you_ know already?" she asked Giles.
"Wesley told me. I hope you don't mind, Angel," Giles said.
"Of course not," Angel said. "Anything that affects Buffy, the rest of
you have every right to know about it."
"Buffy, Angel, may I speak to you in the kitchen?" Giles asked.
"Sure, Giles," Buffy said, and they followed him into the kitchen.
"What?" she asked.
"It's none of my business if you and Angel are back together, but I--"
"Oh. I get it. This is where you remind me how dangerous it would be
for me to get distracted right now? Look, Giles. I appreciate the
concern, I really do. And given how bad it got at times when we were
together last, I understand it. But this is different."
"I realize that, Buffy. But Angel being human leads to a whole new set
of concerns."
"Such as?"
"Such as my reasons for reversing everything last time, Buffy," Angel
said. "I'm human, and my being in danger could put you in unnecessary
danger. Am I right, Giles?"
"Yes, actually," Giles nodded.
"If Angel went on Patrol with me, and he got hurt, yeah, I'd help him.
But how is that any different from when Xander, or Willow, or you get
hurt and I have to help you? I know this isn't going to be easy. But
we've decided that we need to at least try to make it work. I hope you
can respect that, even if you don't like it?" Buffy asked.
"Of course I can, Buffy," Giles said. "You deserve some happiness,
and I hope you can make this work. I just worry, if it wasn't Angel
it would be something else."
"Giles, if it makes you feel any better, I don't plan on patrolling
with Buffy. Not for a while, anyway. Not until I know I can be more
of a help than a hindrance," Angel said.
"I think that's a wise decision, and it does ease my mind a little,"
Giles replied.
"Giles! Buffy!" Willow yelled from the living room. The three moved to
see what she wanted them for.
Giles was the first one out, and Buffy was right behind him. She
stopped suddenly, and Angel barely kept from running into her. He
looked over her head, and met the eyes of Xander Harris. Angel looked
away, he couldn't stand the mixture of pain and hatred he saw looking
back at him.
"Xander," Buffy said, breaking the awkward silence. "We weren't
expecting--"
"No kidding," Xander said. "I gathered as much, what with the
murdering demon in the Watcher's house and all."
&&&&&&&&&&
END of 24