Synopsis: Giles leaves for England while Dawn and Willow
take the step to bring Buffy back. A continuation of Deathwatch.
A post-'The Gift' BtVS episode fanfic.
Rating: G
Date Written: Wednesday, 1 August, 2001
Note: Amid the rumors flying around about the Slayer's
rebirth, I'm still in oblivion as to what the true path is. Here
is an interactive attempt to reveal what's to come and decide
which path to follow
Characters: Willow Xander Anya Dawn
Giles Spike
Giles invited his friends to join him for dinner. It had been
over six months since the last time they got together for an
occasion. Although his dinner plans were not a celebration, it
nevertheless, was a reunion of spirits among friends.
He wanted this evening to be special. Not only because he wanted
to tell them his news, but because he felt that they needed to
bond before he leaves for England.
Xander and Anya arrived first, they proceeded to the dining area
as directed by Giles, who himself was busy setting the food on
the table. The two helped preparing the table when Willow and
Dawn arrived, both of whom seemed to be wary about something.
Anya noticed the two and said, "You too?"
"Huh?" Willow replied weakly, as she prepared to seat
next to the host's chair.
"Singing," said Anya casually.
"How?" asked Willow. "Nevermind..."
Everybody at this time was seated to their respective chairs.
Giles being the host, sat at the head of the table. To his left
was Willow and Dawn, to his right was Anya and Willow. A chair
opposite him was empty.
"Are we?" asked Xander, gesturing if they would start
dinner.
Giles replied that they were still waiting for someone,
"Unfortunately, we are still waiting for one more
guest."
There was a knock on the door. Xander volunteered to get the door
and excused himself.
"You know, Sunnydale is such a great place to live! All the
singing, magic... well, of course there's the demons and
vampires," beamed Anya, "but overall, it's not too bad
to raise a--".
"Raise a what?" asked Dawn.
"Uhm, did I say raise?" replied Anya,
"Raise--race...race a car!" she blurted out. In which
case, got a confused expression from everybody.
Xander got back from answering the door, followed by Spike, who
shyly walked across the room, one hand in his pocket. Giles told
him that he could take the empty chair across. Giles, Willow,
Anya, and Dawn watched him as he sat at the other end of the
table. Dawn especially did not take her eyes off Spike for the
duration.
Spike exchanged smiles to them and said, "Thanks for
inviting me to dinner. And, uhm, sorry for being late." He
took something out of his pocket, a small jar filled with blood.
"I hope you guys don't mind if I bring my own dipping?"
All of them was clearly repulsed by it, but they understood that
Spike is still a vampire and that there are things that he can't
do without.
After dinner, Giles offered them tea. As they were seated in the
living room, he slowly started a conversation about his
"vacation" to England. Xander felt his stomach was
going to burst due to too much food he had eaten, "We should
do this more often Giles, he suggested.
"Another reason why I asked everybody this evening, is
because I have an important announcement to make," said
Giles.
He captured everyone's attention, especially Dawn's. They all
looked at him worried and nervous at the same time. "I have
decided to go to England for the duration of the summer."
Willow was the first to speak, "Why? I-Is something
wrong?"
"No, nothing is wrong," replied Giles, "It's a
business matter."
"You're going to leave us?" cried Dawn, starting to get
upset.
"You're going to go back here, right?" asked Xander.
"No, I-I mean, yes. I'm going back," he said
reassuringly, "It's only... temporary."
Spike was not convinced with what Giles said and it showed in his
face. He knew that something was wrong. He looked at him with
questionning eyes; Giles noticed it but didn't say anything.
Dawn noticed how Spike looked at Giles and she, in turn wondered.
"Giles..?" her eyes pleading.
[Spike]
Something is about to give, I can feel it coming
I think I know what it means
[Giles]
In summer I can taste the salt in the sea, there's a kite blowing out of control on a breeze
I wonder what's gonna happen to you, you wonder what has happened to me
I want you to know that you don't need me anymore
I want you to know you don't need anyone, anything at all
[Dawn]
Who's to say where the wind will take you
Who's to know what it is will break you
[Giles]
I don't know which way the wind will blow
Who's to know when the time has come around
Don't wanna see you cry
I know that this is not goodbye
I'm a man, I'm not a child
A man who sees
The shadow behind your eyes
[Willow]
Who's to say where the wind will take you
Who's to know what it is will break you
[Giles]
I don't know which way the wind will blow
Who's to know when the time has come around
Don't wanna see you cry
I know that this is not goodbye...§
It was three days since Giles went away and Dawn spent most of
her summer over at the Rosenbergs, which Willow herself suggested
because she now considered Dawn as her own little sister whom she
promised to take care of. Besides, she can use some company since
Tara was away for the summer with her own family.
Willow closed her eyes to meditate. Breathing slowly, she focused
her energy on a spell that she had been practicing for a couple
of months now. She knew that there was a controversy about this
spell and it was as close to impossible, but she knew that she
had to at least try.
When she opened her eyes, she looked at the clock hanging from
the wall. It was 7:30 pm. The seconds hand moved steadily... 55,
56, 57, 58, 59... It stroke zero and the hour hand moved to 7:31.
Then everything stopped.
Not a sound can be heard. Only total silence.
Willow slowly closed her eyes again, this time focusing harder.
In her mind, she counted backwards as in a countdown. Unknown to
her, a drop of blood slowly crept its way out of her nose.
The seconds hand then began to move counterclockwise-- 59, 58,
57, 56, 55... Willow opened her eyes and smiled at what she saw.
It was now 7:30.
Dawn pulled out her journal from her backpack and searched for a
note. She was sure that she didn't rip it off nor throw it away,
but kept it somewhere safe. Dawn suddenly thought about pockets,
her denim jeans perhaps. She grabbed her duffle bag and got a
hold of a pair of jeans. She searched the pockets carefully and
felt something in one of them. Something small, something shaped
like a rock.
Dawn was puzzled as to what it could be, then she remembered.
It glittered like stars as she moved it on her palm. One pair of
them. She knew she couldn't really wear them on whenever she's
with her sister's friends, so she just kept them for her
pleasure. It was reckless of her not to keep them in a secure
place, though, and wondered if Anya went looking for them. As she
was about to throw her jeans and look for another one, a piece of
paper fell out from on of its pockets. It was the note she'd been
looking for.
"It's a tricky spell, girl. Sometimes things get a
little off." Dawn remembered a precaution.
***
Dawn handed a piece of paper to Willow.
"That was all he gave to me," said Dawn quietly.
Willow read what was written in the paper, "Bone, flesh,
breath..." She turned to the book beside her "The
History of Witchcraft" and opened to the Resurrection
chapter. Willow browsed from a page which was earlier torn, now
taped together, and read.
She looked at Dawn and said, "We must go to the Magic
Box."
***