Hello again!!! Okay in this chapter you'll find out that Giles is leaving but he didn't leave this early in the actual Buffy so I've just changed it a bit, heehee. Enjoy . . .
"Buffy, are you okay?"
"I'm fine Dawn." Buffy said without turning around.
Dawn smiled wearily, worrying about her sister. "Willow told me about the chip, I hope you get it out soon Buffy."
Buffy nodded. "Haven't you got school to go to?" She asked, sounding nastier than it meant to.
Dawn walked out of the room feeling a little hurt. She had only tried to cheer Buffy up, it wasn't her fault.
Buffy drained her glass of orange juice and walked out of the front door. She decided to head over to the Magic Box, maybe Giles would be in a better mood today.
"Buffy!" Anya yelped as Buffy came through the door.
Giles looked up and then quickly looked back at the pile of books he was carrying.
"What's the matter Buff, you look rough. You got a chip on your shoulder of somethin'?" Xander said sarcastically, laughing.
Buffy gave him a "that wasn't funny" look. "Giles, I think we need to talk."
"Yes about last night Buffy." Giles paused as Buffy tapped her foot on the floor, waiting for an apology. "I just want to say I'm sorry but I do think you ought to help a little bit more with the research and don't let other people do it."
"Giles, I already have enough trouble being the Slayer, how could I ever make time for research. You aren't my Watcher anymore Giles, you can't order me around like you used to." Buffy explained softly.
Everyone stared at Giles, wondering what he was going to say next. "Yes, you're quite right Buffy." He said. "I've been meaning to talk to you about this for a long time and I think now you are all here I ought to just say what I've got to say."
Everyone listened intently and Willow grabbed Tara's hand under the table.
"What do you want to say?" Buffy asked, hoping it wasn't bad news.
"I'm . . . I'm leaving." He said, staring at Buffy straight in the eyes.
Buffy's throat tightened, she couldn't believe her ears.
"Again?" Anya asked, louder than she meant to.
"Yes Anya, but for good this time. I feel I do need to move on and as Buffy said, I'm not exactly abandoning her because I'm not her Watcher anymore." He said, giving Buffy a small smile.
Buffy's lip trembled and her eyes watered. If there was one person she could count on to pull her through anything at all it was Giles. He had always been there for her and now he was going and it would feel as if something was missing . . . Buffy thought of Spike and how he felt without being able to drink human's blood. That would be how she would feel if Giles went.
"No, you can't do this Giles. I'm sorry about everything last night and I will do more research. Please, don't leave because of me." Buffy cried, tears trickling down her cheeks.
Giles smiled tenderly at her. "No Buffy, this wasn't because of you. I had decided to go long before this but I just didn't know how to get it out in the open that I was going. I was scared you'd hate me because of what you said the other day about me always being there for you."
"I would never hate you Giles. I was just mad last night because you got angry at me. I don't know how I'm going to cope without you Giles." Buffy said.
"I'm just a phone call away Buffy so if you need me at any time I'll be there for you. You can pull through this without me." Giles said.
"When are you going?" Willow asked.
"Sooner then you might think." Giles said.
Everyone looked up when Spike burst through the door, with Dawn in hostage. Spike smiled when he saw the sad look on everyone's faces. "Is this a bad time?" He grinned.
"Spike, let go!" Dawn squealed, lashing out at him.
Spike grabbed Dawn's shoulders and held her still.
"What are you doing here Spike?" Buffy asked.
Spike shrugged. "I thought I might take a trip through the sewers and then I bumped into Little Bit." He said, referring to Dawn.
"You were in the sewers?" Willow asked Dawn.
"No I was on my way over here and ten Spike grabbed me." Dawn explained, trying to break free from Spike's strong grip.
Buffy folded her arms across her chest. "Let go of her Spike." She said.
Spike tilted his head to one side. "I think Dawny will be my first victim, that way I'll be over to get over you real quick Buffy." Spike growled.
"You wouldn't dare." Buffy said, walking closer.
"One more step and Dawn gets it." Spike warned.
"You love Buffy too much Spike." Anya reminded him. "You wouldn't be able to eat Dawn because you know Buffy would be upset and hate you."
Xander put a hand on Anya's shoulder comfortingly.
"I'm trying to prove to myself that I can be bad again." Spike told them.
"Go on then Spike. Do it." Buffy urged him.
"Buffy," Giles said quietly.
"Fine, I will." Spike said, wrinkling his nose and putting on his vampire face. He stared at Dawn's neck longingly and opened his mouth hungrily.
He stared at her neck for a long time and then pushed Spike towards Buffy. "Stupid humans they're always right." He muttered, walking away.
"Spike?" Buffy called in the cemetery.
"What?" Spike asked, sitting on top of a gravestone. "If you're here to project insults then just go away."
"I'm not here for that Spike." Buffy said gently.
"I bet you think I'm a fool. I bet you've all been laughing at me. Well I don't care, I'm Spike again and I can rip your arteries out one by one." Spike growled. Then he sighed. "Who am I kidding I'm just like big ol' softie Angel now. Except I haven't got the Buffy part." He said miserably.
"Spike cheer up . . ." Buffy told him.
"Do you want the chip in your head Buffy?" Spike asked, gazing into her eyes.
"You know the answer to that Spike." Buffy told him.
Spike brushed a hand through his hair restlessly. "Yeah I guess so. Do you want me to take the chip back into my head Buffy?"
Buffy nodded. "I didn't know what to do but now I know. My friends and Dawn are counting on me to get through this Spike."
"Okay, okay don't get all soppy on me I'll take it back." Spike growled.
Buffy hugged him and Spike looked surprised. "Thanks Spike." She said.
Spike smiled as he watched Buffy leave the cemetery and he knew he had made the right choice.
"I've got it! I've got it!" Giles yelled, jumping up and down with excitement and hanging up the phone that he had been using.
"Got what?" Buffy asked, entering her house.
"The cure! I've found it! I know what we need to do!" He squealed.
"Good because I've just read enough books to last me a lifetime." Anya yawned, closing the book she was reading.
"One of my Watcher friends told me the initiative had been running since the sixties and he had trained a Slayer called Sira who had had an encounter like this one. He gave me the spell ingredients and the words I need to say." Giles explained.
"Why do all Slayers' have goofy names? Buffy, Kendra, Faith and Sira." Anya asked, counting them off on her finger.
Buffy was too please to hear Anya. "Does this mean the chip will go completely?" Buffy asked.
Giles shook is head. "No, the chip will return to its rightful place which is in Spike's head. The only thing is; we need Spike."
"I've sorted that out; Spike has agreed to have the chip back in his head. So when shall we do this spell?" Buffy asked.
"The sooner the better." Giles said. Xander, you go with Buffy to get Spike. Take weapons incase he's pulling some kind of stunt and we'll all meet you at the cemetery in fifteen minutes."
Buffy nodded and followed Xander out. Every Slayer has her day.