~*~Chapter 8~*~
At first, the dance at the Rayne house passed very much like any other social event in Sunnydale. Xander had done his duty by dancing with each of his sisters, and with Anya. He had also been prevailed upon by Mrs Giles to take a turn around the floor with a small number of other young ladies, all of whom, he guessed, she viewed as possible long-term partners for him. Finally, he had been allowed to escape. Although he enjoyed dancing, he found that some of the conversations he was forced to have while doing so rather dull. There was only so much time a man could spend discussing the latest news about the Misses Smith and their numerous beaux.
It was therefore with great relief that he retreated from the floor, to sit and make conversation with Oz, who had similar views on dancing, and far less patience for inane small talk. However, Mrs Giles, who took as much interest in the love lives of Rayne's wards as she did in those of her own charges, soon charmed him into dancing with a partner-less young lady, and Xander found himself sitting alone.
This peace allowed him some time to observe his eldest sister's behaviour towards Mr Angel. The earlier conversation with Anya was at the forefront of his mind, and as such, he had been taking every opportunity to watch the two together and try and ascertain the truth of her statements. His preoccupation with the two prevented him from noticing that, as on a number of occasions recently, he held the attention of the aforementioned gentleman's friend.
Mr William's first response to his friend's suggestion of Xander as an acceptable partner had been to dismiss it out of hand. However, the times since then when they had met had caused him to look differently at the young man. Although he had rejected him as ungainly and scarcely attractive, a second, and third look, had forced him to reassess this. It was true, the boy was not entirely graceful, but he danced far better than one would guess from his sometimes ungainly stance. His looks, although often concealed by a mop of unruly hair, were in fact far more pleasing than they seemed at first glance, his eyes sparkling with joy, as if he always saw something in the situation to entertain him.
Having accepted that Xander was in fact quite fetching, he began to learn more of his character, seeing a young man always eager to please, to ensure that those around him were happy. His manners were not always those of the company he was part of, but his playful attitude and constant good humour endeared him to those around him despite this. At the same time, he clearly had a slightly wicked streak, often spending time with his sisters secretly mocking the foolish behaviour of many of the company around them. This irreverence seemed an indication of the intelligence hidden behind the juvenile manner in which he often behaved. All this had led William to question his initial judgement, and he began seeking to learn more about the young man.
This effort had led to a number of short conversations, but Xander still seemed disinclined to speak with him, breaking off conversations abruptly if he attempted to join them. Mr William could only assume that his attitude to many of the people present had been noticed by Xander, and that he subscribed to the prevailing opinion, that he was rude, haughty and too proud to enjoy the company of the people of Sunnydale.
That evening, he had found few opportunities to try and speak with him, having spent the majority of the evening forced to make conversation with his host. Mr Ethan Rayne was a gentleman who seemed to enjoy inane discussion, and had continued to introduce new topics despite Mr William's abrupt dismissal of all those he began. Becoming frustrated, Rayne turned, as he always did at times like this, to the making of mischief. Although now aligned with the side of good, he often missed his chaos-worshipping days, and was wont to try and create it in his own small way. Seeing Xander seated alone not far from them and recalling a conversation he had overheard between the young man and his own two charges a few days earlier, he spied an opportunity for trouble and seized it.
"Alexander, dear boy - why are you not dancing? Surely there is a partner here that takes your fancy? Mr William, will you not dance with him. You would not leave the poor boy here alone when there is such fine music, surely?" Pulling Xander to his feet, Ethan smiled broadly at them both. Mr William had moved forwards, willing to be persuaded, but Xander clearly had other views. Blushing, and stuttering slightly, he struggled to remember his manners.
"Oh, no. I mean, I don't want…I am quite happy not to dance. I was not looking for a partner."
Mr William's attempts to assure him that he would be quite happy to dance did not persuade Xander. In fact, they seemed to worsen his discomposure, deepening the blush on his face, and causing him to back away slightly, almost falling onto the seat from which he had risen. Ethan, pleased with the success of his teasing, pushed further.
"Xander, you dance so well. You will surely not deprive us, and particularly Mr William, the opportunity to witness that?"
With visible effort, Xander regained his equilibrium. "It is very kind of you both, but I really do not wish to dance. If you will excuse me…" With this he hurried away, without looking at Mr William, to find the safety of his sister's company.
Although somewhat disappointed, William was not surprised by Xander's refusal, and the level of his discomposure had intrigued him. It suggested something more than the dislike of his character that had permeated the rest of Sunnydale society. Perhaps it was simply the fact that he was a man. At that point, he was interrupted from his reverie by the younger of his friend's sisters.
"The stars tell me what you are thinking, dear William" Drusilla purred, close to his ear.
"What do they say?" he asked, accustomed to her strange way of speaking.
"You are tired of this place, this tedious, polite company. So dull and so good. Not a spark of darkness among them."
Mr William moved away slightly as she leaned in, invading his space. "Sorry, Drusilla, for once the stars guide you wrong. I was thinking of much happier things, of the value of a eyes, the things they tell you about someone, and the beauty they can bestow on a person."
Drusilla drew back at this, and demanded to know whose eyes had inspired such poetic ramblings. Reluctantly, but knowing that he was generally unable to hide anything from this remarkably perceptive young woman, he admitted that he was thinking of the Giles boy. Upon hearing this, the lady almost hissed her displeasure. "Alexander Giles?" she questioned, her voice dripping with scorn. "Why would you think of him? He is the most good and clean of them all, all loyal and nice." She continued to list all his failings in her indirect, mystical manner and tormented her friend about his uncharacteristic foray into poetic thought for the rest of the evening, but as he maintained his composure, she was reassured that he did not really care for the boy, and so there was no real reason for concern.
~*~Chapter 9~*~
The responsibility for keeping Sunnydale, and by extension, the world, safe for humankind, had built up a large network of friends and contacts for the Giles'. The closest of these were a vampire hunter by the name of Charles Gunn and his wife, who lived and worked in Los Angeles, and Miss Jenny Calendar, owner of Sunnydale's magic shop and practising Wiccan. The shop was within walking distance of the Giles home, and provided a convenient place to meet and discuss Slaying and, more commonly, the town's latest news. Buffy and Willow in particular would head there three or four times a week, allowing Willow to pick up supplies for her latest spells, and giving them a chance to catch up on the latest Sunnydale news, both romantic and mystical.
The latest news was apparently relevant on both fronts. A new regiment of soldiers had arrived in the area, and, as far as Miss Calendar could tell, were there to deal with the non-human aspects of Sunnydale's security. For Buffy, Willow and Dawn, however, the interest in the regiment was of a more personal nature. Each time they ventured out, they returned home with more news of the soldiers, their names and how handsome each of them was.
Eventually, Mr Giles grew exasperated with their gossip. "I do wish you would take this more seriously. These soldiers may be a great impediment to our work. Who knows what their plans are? I scarcely think that the issue here is how attractive and prosperous they are."
He seemed ready to continue his berating of the three youngest girls, but fortunately for them, rescue came in the form of a knock at the door. It was Giles' valet, bearing an invitation from their neighbours for Cordelia
Dearest Cordelia,
Please be so cordial as to join my sister and myself this afternoon for tea. If you do not do so, we are liable to harm each other, being forced to spend so much time together, as our men folk are once again away this afternoon. Please come as soon as you can on receipt of this,
Yours ever,
Darla McDonald
Cordelia, always eager for a social engagement, was delighted to receive this invitation, and began planning to take her leave "May I take the carriage?" She immediately asked her guardians. Unfortunately, Mrs Giles had a prior engagement, and declined her request.
"You will have to walk back dear, I will need the carriage until late. Besides, maybe they will invite you to stay over, and then you will be able to see their brother tomorrow." As was often the case, Joyce Giles' love of matchmaking clouded her common sense somewhat. Xander, however, was not so blasé.
"That is all well and good, but what happens if they do not invite her? She can hardly walk home alone after sunset. Besides, we have not yet proved that they are not undead themselves. I think a little more concern for Cordy's safety is necessary."
Despite appreciating Xander's worries, Cordelia was quite determined to go, and promising to take a stake and cross, and to take her leave well before sunset, departed for the Mansion.
Xander was quite unable to relax for the rest of the day. He was unable to find any trust for the two ladies Cordelia had gone to visit, and his fears seemed proved correct when his sister had not returned an hour after sunset. Just as he was preparing to hurry out to rescue her, a valet carrying a note from the damsel in distress arrived.
Xander,
I am afraid I am rather unwell. One of the servants of our friends turned out to be a little, well, thirsty. I am not well enough to come home, but I would be very grateful if you could come for me. Dru and Darla have been very kind, but they will not hear of me leaving while I am so weak.
Love,
Cordy
Having read the note, Xander was out of his seat before any one could speak, preparing to leave for the mansion. Buffy was away overnight, and he was not willing to leave Cordelia along in that house for one night. Pausing only to don a jacket and seize protection in the form of stakes and a cross, he called his goodbyes to the rest of his family and left for the mansion.
Arriving at the house a bare half hour later, he was shown to a room where all but his sister were assembled. His anger was almost too much to allow him to speak to them, but they were all quite solicitous and showed him immediately to the bedroom where Cordelia was resting.
The relief at seeing him was evident on Cordelia's face as soon as he entered the room. Her unusually pale face and dark shadows under her eyes attested to the source of her illness, as did a small bandage on her neck. Having confirmed that she was well enough to speak, he demanded an explanation for the attack, how had their hosts allowed it to happen, and did they know they were employing a vampire.
"Xander, slow down" asked Cordelia, hoarsely. "Let me tell you what happened." Taking a deep breath, Xander calmed enough to allow her to explain.
"It was my own fault, really. I had been freshening up, and I took a wrong turn returning to the drawing room. I met the vampire and he tried to bite me. I screamed, and Darla came running. She pulled the vampire off me before he had chance to drain me, and they called a doctor straightaway. I'm fine, really."
"As for the employing vampires thing, well, they are vampires, so it's really not that strange." She smiled at him, hoping to appease him with a joke. Foe once, he was not so easily distracted.
"They are vampires? Why are we still here? We need to leave immediately, then send Buffy here to stake them all." So saying, he moved to help her out of the bed.
"Xander wait," Cordy said crossly, pushing his hands away. "It's fine, really. They are vampires, except for Mr McDonald, but they don't kill humans. Not anymore."
At this, Xander stopped and stared. In all his years on the Hellmouth, he had heard some ludicrous claims, but this surpassed them all. Vampires that didn't kill? How could that even be possible? He began to suggest to Cordelia that they had somehow brainwashed her, but she interrupted again.
"Xander, really, will you stop and listen to me for a moment. Honestly, you are being almost as obstinate as Buffy now."
This stopped Xander short. Being compared to the impetuous young slayer was mildly offensive, no matter how much he loved his surrogate sister, and the statement convinced him that Cordelia was serious, so he grew silent and allowed her to explain.
"They are vampires, but they don't prey on humans. Angel, Mr Angel, has a soul, a conscience. His sisters are under his command, and so he prevents them from feeding, and Mr William has something in his head, something mechanical that prevents him from feeding. They are not a danger to us. And Angel staked the vampire that bit me, so really, there is nothing to worry about."
Xander was less than wholly convinced by this, and still had a number of questions, but he could see that his sister was still quite weak, and the exertion of persuading him to listen had exhausted her. Kissing her cheek, he promised not to try staking his hosts until he had spoken further with her. This did not, however, prevent him from checking for his stake before making his way downstairs to join them.
As he entered the room, everyone rose. He noticed the presence of Mr William, but his present shock prevented this from making him as uncomfortable as it would at any other time. Darla made her way over to him and began assuring him of their heartfelt regrets about the incident. She ushered him to a chair with the others, offering him refreshment and reassuring him that the employee in question had been severely dealt with. Everyone else offered their condolences, including Mr William, who then retreated to the other side of the room. Xander, still quite bewildered by the turn of events, managed to fumble his way through the appropriate responses to everybody's words, and then began to ask about the possibility of a carriage to take Cordelia home.
At this, all those in the room, except Mr William, began to protest at this, insisting that the lady was not well enough to be moved. Sensing Xander's discomfort at leaving her alone with them after the evening's events, Mr Angel assured him that he was welcome to stay as long as Cordelia was unwell. The invitation seemed to be disappointing to many of those present. Darla and Drusilla looked most displeased, despite their earlier civility, and Mr William continued to look as though there was little that could in fact please him at that moment in time. Mr McDonald continued to be preoccupied with his book, as though the matter did not concern him. Only Mr Angel seemed to view the prospect of guests with any pleasure.
Although still wholly uncomfortable with spending any more time among vampires, even those who claimed not to harm humans, Xander knew that his sister was not well enough to be moved, and so reluctantly accepted. A human servant was dispatched to the Giles' home to inform them of an extensively edited version of events and to bring back clothes for the two guests. Xander remained seated, gratefully receiving the refreshments provided and trying not to think of the agitation that the thought of spending any amount of time with these people, most particularly the blond vampire in the corner, inspired in him.
~*~Chapter 10~*~
Xander spent the main part of the next day attending to his sister, joining the rest of the household briefly at lunchtime, and returning straight away to Cordelia's room to await the arrival of the doctor. The moment he took his leave, Drusilla, still perturbed by her friend's admiration of him a few days earlier, took the opportunity to list all the faults she saw in him, hoping to gain Mr William's agreement of her views.
"The boy is so dull, seeping niceness from every pore. And I do believe he is quite stupid. He knew nothing of half the books we spoke of, and he was quite sharp with us. I think he is quite appalled by our nature. He is not so accepting of vampires as his pretty sister." Mrs McDonald was quick to agree
"Dru, sweetie, you are quite right. I think he would have staked us as soon as looked at us if his sister had not asked him otherwise. Such lack of consideration is rather rude. We have never tried to harm him, although I should like very much to do so."
"Oh yes" responded Drusilla, quite excited by this idea, although realising that Angel would never allow anything of the sort. "Let's make a snack out of the boy. He is good for little else. And did you see the mess he was when he arrived last night. I do believe he ran all the way here. Foolish child. As if he could do anything if one of us really intended to hurt his precious sister."
At this point, Mr Angel chose to intervene. "Now, Drusilla, that is quite enough. There will be no biting. The Giles' are guests in our home, and due the respect that merits. Besides, I believe that Alexander's exertions show only concern for his sister, and that kind of family loyalty is always admirable." This pointed remark was almost enough to silence Drusilla, and she directed her next statement so that only Mr William would be able to hear it.
"I do believe you must agree with me, dear William. Surely you cannot still admire the boy after the state in which he arrived here last night? Rushing to his sister's rescue like a White Knight, galloping on a fine steed, but dressed like a peasant feeding his stock." She smiled at the object of her attentions, her innocent face belying the spite behind her rambling comments. However, the blond vampire was not fooled.
"Not at all, Dru. I think it rather admirable that he has the courage to do that, although, you are right, it was rather foolish. He could easily have been hurt. This is hardly a safe place to be after sunset." Drusilla was unable to respond to this, unaccustomed to hearing him speak in support of those who fought against the darkness, and silence reigned until Darla broke it with her own comments about the family in question.
"I have the utmost regard for Miss Giles. She is very well mannered, and did not seem so hasty to condemn us as her brother, but I must pity her. Her family connections will always work against her. How can she marry well when she has a Slayer as a sister? That girl is often out alone at night, or allows her siblings to accompany her. Few well-bred men, human or demon, would want to associate with such behaviour. And the company they keep." Her voice trailed off, as if she expected everyone to know what she was speaking of.
Drusilla, who had taken great interest in the Slayer and her family after a particularly vivid dream about them, took up the mantle. "Yes, they are friends with the pretty white witch who owns the shop. And closely connected to a Vampire hunter in Los Angeles, a man who does not even have a home of his own. Poor, homeless white hats, fighting the good fight. As if they can ever win." Having said this, she drifted off into a world of her own, humming a tune known only in her own head and wandering around the room aimlessly. The others continued to talk around her.
Angel was hasty to defend the Giles'. "I think they are all good people, whatever their connections. They do what they believe is right, and one must always admire that."
At this, his friend, who had chiefly avoided the conversation, spoke up. "Yes, but it is scarcely likely to lead to a happy life. Slayers die young, and those who help them without the necessary strength are likely to fall much sooner." Speaking with the authority of one who had killed two slayers, he brought this aspect of the conversation to a close, although Darla continued to regale them with criticisms of Xander's breeding and behaviour, as well as those of the rest of his family.
Having talked through their distaste for the guest, the two ladies felt quite prepared to go and check on his sister, making all the appropriate noises of concern, their good nature sufficiently restored by their conversation to allow them to insist that Xander must join them in the drawing room after dinner, while Cordelia slept. Unable to refuse politely, he reluctantly accepted the invitation, and when certain that Cordelia was settled, headed towards the room where the group was gathered.
To his relief, it did not appear that he would be expected to make conversation. All four vampires, along with Mr McDonald, were in the room, but all were apparently engrossed in their own activities. His host, who had earlier insisted that he call him simply Angel, was seated at a large table, poring over a book that Xander was certain he had seen a copy of in his father's collection of supernatural related tomes. The other four in drawing room were all gathered around a small card table, seemingly absorbed in their game, although Drusilla seemed content to talk to the cards in her hand, rather than focussing on the game the others were enjoying.
Xander slipped quietly into a chair, picking up a book from the table where Angel was working and flicking through the pages. He had little interest in reading it, getting his fill of demon lore from the research Mr Giles often insisted he help with, but it might serve well as a shield against being forced to talk to these people. These vampires, he mentally corrected, marvelling at the fact that that knowledge did not make him any more uncomfortable about being in a room with them than he had been previously.
Unfortunately, Xander's peace was short-lived. Drusilla appeared to have little patience for cards, or indeed anything else, and looking for something new with which to entertain herself, noticed their guest, and the book he was feigning interest in. The smile she wore as she glided towards him looked almost predatory, reminding him that this was not an innocent woman but a powerful demon.
Feeling more then a little nervous, he smiled up at her and, remembering his manners, placed the book on the table beside him, accepting that he would in fact have to interact with his hosts. Drusilla glanced at the title of the book and, seeming to reach a decision, sat down beside Xander.
"You like that sort of book, don't you, dear boy? The ones that tell you how to kill the wicked demons. My Angel likes them too. He'd destroy all the demons if he could. Even though he's one of us. Would you like to kill us all too?"
Xander shifted uncomfortably, attempting to provide an answer that would not offend any of the people in the room. On the whole, he would say that he was very much on Angel's side, having come across a great number of demons who clearly brought nothing but harm to the earth by being there. However, as Drusilla had mentioned, Angel himself was a demon, as were three of the others in the room, and none of them seemed to have any evil plans beyond a desire, at least on the part of the brunette vampiress, to torment him.
Fortunately, Angel, who chided his sister, suggesting that she had forgotten her manners, saved him from having to find a tactful response. The lady was clearly well controlled by her brother, and merely smiled at Xander, letting the subject slide. However, her comments had been sufficient to distract the others from their game, and they began to talk.
Despite himself, Xander became intrigued by the conversation. Drusilla talked of the Los Angeles home of Mr William, whom she often referred to as Spike, a nickname Xander was content not to investigate the origins of. He did find that he was keen to learn more about the man, for reasons he preferred not to examine, and his attention was particularly drawn when the ladies began to ask about Spike's sister.
"How is young Faith? I hope she is well. It seems like such an age since we last saw her. Is she much grown?"
Talk of this young lady, who Xander had never heard mentioned before, seemed to make Mr William animated for the first time, and he gave his full attention to the conversation, smiling at Darla's kind words.
"I trust her education is being successful. She seemed like a young lady with a great deal of potential."
Angel joined the conversation at this point, agreeing with his sisters' opinion of Faith. "I think it is a great thing that young people such as herself are willing to devote themselves to the fight against the forces of darkness. It gives me a great deal of hope for the future,"
On hearing this, his friend gave what could only be described as a scornful laugh. "I hardly feel that Faith is typical of young people. Most of them are too foolish to even acknowledge the darker side of life, much less brave enough to fight against it. I am afraid that the noble fight is one you will have to face alone."
Angel was about to object to William's pessimistic view, but was beaten to it by Xander, whose anger at the blond vampires words far surpassed his usual reluctance to talk when with the man who made him feel so uncomfortable.
"I think you underestimate people. I know a large number of people, without any supernatural powers or strength, who have devoted their lives to fighting evil. Not because they seek redemption, or for the thrill of the fight, but because it is the right thing to do. If that is your view of people, then I am deeply sorry for you, because you are clearly entirely mistaken, and I think that means you are missing a great deal of what makes life worth living."
Suddenly running out of words, Xander stopped, blushing at his sudden outburst, and aware that everyone was staring at him. He realised how foolish his words might seem when spoken to a vampire who undoubtedly had far more experience of people, and of life, than he ever would. He noticed that William seemed about to provide a response to his argument, and became certain that the vampire was preparing to mock his impromptu speech.
Muttering something about checking on Cordelia, he hurried out of the room, leaving behind a stuttering blond vampire, who was trying to formulate an apology while at the same time feeling unsure what he had said to upset the boy.
Xander's exit left all those in the room a little uncomfortable. William sank back into silence, wondering what had caused his outburst. Darla simply rolled her eyes and began whispering to Drusilla about unstable humans, while Angel, after mumbling something about hoping they had not offended the young Mr Giles, returned to his books.
~*~Chapter 11~*~
Xander spent most of that night in Cordelia's room, and was pleased to see that she seemed much better by morning. He asked one of the household staff to pass on a report to his host, still reluctant to face those who had witnessed his show of temper the evening before. He was however still rather concerned about Cordelia's health, and sent a message home, asking for a visit from someone who knew a little more about the consequences of vampire bites than he did, all the while wishing he had paid more attention to Giles' teachings.
Much to Xander's dismay, Giles was unable to attend to Cordelia himself, having been called away to a Council meeting. In his place, he sent his wife, who had brought all three of her younger daughters along. Xander's heart sank as he heard them all working towards the bedroom. He adored all his sisters, but en masse they could be rather trying. Cordelia was still very tired, and Buffy's response to learning that their hosts were undead did not bear thinking about. She was very protective, and her response to threats to her loved ones tended to be along the lines of 'slay now, ask questions later.'
As he had feared, she entered the room already talking nineteen to the dozen, and barely paused to draw breath before redirecting her questions towards him. "Xander what happened. How did Cordelia let herself get bitten? Do Mr Angel and his friends know about vampires? Should I patrol near here? I should patrol, shouldn't I?"
Once this question was asked, Buffy fell silent, obviously expecting an answer, which Xander was hardly ready to provide. How to explain to the slayer that she was in fact in the home of a number of vampires, none of whom should be slain at this time, particularly when he was still having difficulty dealing with this notion himself. Perhaps he should allow her free reign. That would at least avoid having to face up to his hosts after the embarrassing outburst the evening before.
Xander sighed inwardly, knowing he could not in fact do such a thing. The vampires did not appear to pose a threat, and Angel in particular had been very kind. "Buffy, please calm down and let me explain" he admonished the pretty blonde slayer, hoping she would stay calm long enough for him to do just that.
"There is no need to panic. The vampire that bit Cordy has been staked. By Angel, so yes, he does know about them. And she didn't 'let' herself get bitten, she was attacked." He hoped this would be enough to keep Buffy quiet but, unsurprisingly, she was not willing to leave it there.
"How does he know? And what was Cordelia doing outside after sunset? She ought to know better than that." Xander desperately racked his brain for an easy way to answer these questions without going into too much detail about their hosts' nature. At the same time, he began to question why he was so reluctant to let Buffy know. Surely it would be better if the vampires were staked. They were still demons, no matter how well integrated into society. Why did he feel it would be such a great loss if they were slain. Their presence had caused him almost as much discomfort as any of the other demonic entities Buffy had fought, although by rather different means.
While all Buffy's questions were being asked, Cordelia had woken, and began answering them herself. "Firstly, Buffy, please keep the noise down a little. It is hardly likely to help me recover from vampire bites to be woken up and shouted at by my little sister. Secondly, I wasn't outside when I was bitten. I was in the house."
Xander groaned inwardly, knowing this would only lead to another outburst from Buffy, and sure enough. "Inside?" The young slayer almost screeched. "What was that man playing at letting a vampire inside his house? And we all know he must have invited it in, don't we. That is it, I'm going to find your precious Mr Angel and tell him exactly what I think…"
"Buffy, stop." The anger in Xander's normally easygoing voice startled everyone, and Buffy paused, a step away from the door. "I want to tell you something, but I need you to promise to keep calm until I've finished. Can you at least do that?" Buffy scowled, but nodded, a little cowed by the tone Xander had used. She perched on the end of the bed, ready to listen to what he had to say.
Xander took a deep breath, before repeating Cordelia's tale about the vampires in whose home they currently were. Several times, Buffy seemed about to interrupt, but he held up a hand to stem the questions until he was done. He waited for the seemingly inevitable tirade that would follow his explanation.
To his great surprise, Buffy simply nodded. "Very well," she said. "I can't slay them. But if they put one foot, or fang, out of line…" The way she said this was enough to make everyone realise that she was being reasonable, rather than genuinely happy about the situation. However, given that situation, and the fact that her response was far calmer than Xander's had been, that was more than enough. She would not stake their hosts unless they attacked first. That was undoubtedly good enough, given what he was asking of her.
That matter settled, at least for the moment, Xander turned his attentions to Cordelia. He left Joyce, who had much nursing experience as the mother of the Slayer, to care for her, and escorted his sisters downstairs. He was not eager to see Angel and his friends, William in particular, nor was he keen to allow Buffy to get too close to them, but he could see that Cordelia needed the rest, and that was more important than the embarrassment he was feeling. He noted that his discomfort had been eased somewhat by Buffy's agreement that she would not attack their hosts, but didn't want to think about why that had caused quite such heartfelt relief.
Escorting Buffy, Willow and Dawn into the drawing room, he noticed that only Angel was there, a fact that calmed his nerves a great deal. The elder vampire was, despite his somewhat aloof nature, far more approachable than either his sisters or his friend, and Xander was sure that he would refrain from mentioning the flare-up the night before. Fortunately, Dawn was eager to talk to Angel, having been intrigued by the idea of a souled vampire, and preventing her from becoming overly invasive in her questioning distracted him from thoughts of the way William had looked the night before, attempting to apologise for upsetting Xander as that young man made his hasty retreat from the drawing room. He had seemed almost guilty about the effect his words had had. Such an emotion was always strange coming from a vampire, even one you had spent time getting to know, although Xander had to acknowledge to himself that the amount of discomfort he felt around a certain vampire had caused him to limit the time spent in conversation with him.
Suddenly Xander realised that, despite his intentions he had allowed himself to become distracted, and Willow and Dawn were questioning Angel extensively about aspects of being a vampire that it was not exactly proper for young ladies to discuss. Even if they were the sisters of the slayer. They had already exhausted the matter of his role in the fight against the forces of darkness and raised the possibility of patrolling together, something Buffy seemed unlikely to ever accept, and had moved on to more personal issues. Fortunately, just as Dawn asked the souled vampire what it was like to kill someone, Mrs Giles entered the room, and Angel was able to excuse himself in order to greet her.
Pleasantries were exchanged, with Angel showing his deep concern for Cordelia's well being, so much so that Xander could almost see the word wedding written in her eyes. Fortunately, in some ways at least, Darla and Drusilla came into the room at that moment and distracted her with their own solicitous enquiries about Cordelia. Shortly afterwards, they were followed by William and Mr McDonald, who thankfully joined them at the other side of the room, well away from suddenly uncomfortable Xander.
All the time her younger sisters had been absorbed in their questioning of Angel, Buffy had been sitting alone, uncharacteristically quiet, and clearly deep in thought. As Angel returned to his seat, it became clear that she had come to some kind of a decision. Before Xander could stop her, she had joined the vampire on the couch, and Xander's heart sank as he heard her speak.
"Angel. It is all right if I address you that way? I know Cordelia does, but I don't want to be impolite." As Angel acquiesced to that request, she continued, Xander feeling powerless to stop her. "How do you feed. Don't you need human blood to survive? If you all don't kill people anymore, where do you get it?" Her voice showed only naïve curiosity, but Xander knew that look well. It disguised the gleam in her eyes that showed she knew how much her questions were bothering Angel, and that she was getting some pleasure from his discomfiture.
Slowly, Xander became aware that he was not the only person taking an interest in this conversation. Dawn and Willow were all agog, seemingly as keen for an answer to this question as Buffy was, although they did not appear to be as aware of the vampire's discomfort as their sister, who had an implausibly innocent smile on her face as she waited for a reply. Angel's sisters were also watching the exchange with interest, seeming to enjoy Angel's torment as much as the slayer did. Even Joyce looked as though she was keen to hear his reply.
The vampire, for the first time since Xander had met him, appeared lost for words. After two faltering attempts to answer Buffy, he muttered something about butchers, and animal blood, before standing and hurriedly taking his leave of the assembled guests. Buffy smirked to herself, pleased to have ruffled their host. Xander stood, fully prepared to chastise her for her rudeness, but unsure what he could say. Before he could speak, William also rose, his eyes flashing in anger. Glaring at the young Slayer, he seemed about to tell her, in no uncertain terms, what he thought of her manners. Quickly, Xander intervened.
"I'm sure you understand that Buffy meant no offence. She was simply curious. As the slayer, she needs to know as much about vampires, even ones such as yourselves, as she can." Taking advantage of Buffy's innocent smiles, believable to any who did not know her too well, he brushed the incident off as insensitivity rather than deliberate rudeness. To his relief, William subsided, and all those present seemed to accept the explanation. Xander made a hasty escape, taking his sisters away to view the gardens, hoping to prevent further embarrassment.
Much of the rest of the afternoon was spent outside, taking advantage of the sunshine to keep his sisters away from the vampires they had so clearly offended, and it was a great relief to Xander when his family finally took their leave, making him free to seek out Angel, who was thankfully alone, and apologise for any offence caused by his sister's questions, before returning to Cordelia's room to relate the rather humiliating events of the afternoon to her.
Downstairs, their host and his companions were once again assembled in the drawing room, and Drusilla and Darla were gleefully discussing the Giles family, with great scorn. Aware that Angel would be unwilling to participate in this game they attempted to drag William in instead. Although prepared to agree that the young Slayer had been rude, almost undoubtedly deliberately, he refused to be drawn on what they saw as Xander's misguided defence of his sister despite all of Drusilla's teasing about her dear Spike's liking for a pair of puppy-dog eyes.
~*~ Chapter 12 ~*~
The next day passed mercifully peacefully. Xander spent the greater part of it attending to his sister, retreating to the garden for a short while to allow Darla and Drusilla to give their good wishes to the invalid. However, in the evening, Cordelia needed to rest, and he was unable to avoid joining the others in the drawing room.
Xander approached the room with trepidation, certain that he could expect politely worded criticism of his family from the two sisters, and anticipating more of the scathing looks William seemed to be sending his way at every opportunity. To his surprise, the scene when he entered the room was more like something he would expect to see in the library of his own home. All five members of the household were gathered around the table, poring over a number of books, several of which Xander recognised as existing also in Giles' collection. Clearly this was the Crawford House version of a research party.
Almost without thinking, Xander offered his assistance and, equally absent-mindedly, Angel passed him a book, briefly explaining what they were looking for before returning to his own heavy tome, which appeared to Xander to be written in some strange hieroglyphics.
For a time, the young man immersed himself in the book, searching for references to the demon Angel had described. However, he was soon distracted by the sound of whispering from across the table. Drusilla had clearly grown bored of work, and was entertaining herself by reading over William's shoulder and commenting on his notes. From the expression on the blond vampire's face, Xander could tell he was not enjoying the attention, and he felt an entirely unexpected and rather short-lived flash of sympathy for the other man.
Clearly exasperated that her comments were not drawing the attention she would like, Drusilla soon raised her voice, encouraging the others to join in her teasing. "Why, William, I do believe you are becoming one of the glowy little white hats, all noble and demon-fighting."
Her pretty nose was wrinkled as she spoke, showing her distaste for both the task she was forced into by dint of the authority Angel had over her and the thought that the other vampire might actually enjoy it. However, her words had the desired effect, as William looked up, pushing away the book he had been studying, obviously offended by what she was implying.
"Really, Dru, what else do you expect?" The vampire raised one eyebrow as he turned to Dru, indicating how foolish he thought her comments were. "A fellow has to get his slaughter in somewhere, and I can hardly go attacking humans, due to the incapacitating pain it causes." Although the words were unpleasant, he had a wry smile that softened them somewhat, and Xander felt that, for all the discussion of violence and demonic behaviour, this was the most humanity William had exhibited since he had first been introduced to the people of Sunnydale.
At this point Angel surprised Xander by joining the conversation, and by using the nickname he had heretofore assumed was an affectation of Drusilla's. "Oh, come, Spike, you can't expect me to believe that is the only reason for your actions. You enjoy being a White Knight, protecting helpless humanity from what lies in the dark." The smile Xander had seen on William's face made him think that perhaps there was a great deal of truth in what Angel suggested. However, as he heard the elder vampire's words, William's smile slipped, and his face returned to its usual cold countenance.
"Sorry to disappoint you, Angelus," he drawled, his voice chilly. "I fight for the fun of it, not for the pathetic little humans." Turning to Xander, with a smile that was far less humanising than the previous one. "Present company excepted, of course." Xander blushed slightly at the attention, before growing angry and assuring the vampire that he had not taken any offence at the words, having expected little else from a demon, even one who was impotent and no longer able to kill. He thought he saw a flash of hurt on William's face at the reference to his incapacitation, but it disappeared instantly, to be replaced by laughter from the vampire and another genuine smile, this one directed at Xander. Xander was astonished by this response, and held his breath, waiting for some form of surprise attack or further scathing comment from William, who in fact, simply returned his attention to his book, having gone from fearsome evil demon to friendly, human behaviour in less than five seconds.
Even more surprisingly, this exchange had somehow lightened the atmosphere in the room. Drusilla in particular seemed happier to speak with Xander now that he had expressed distaste for William's behaviour, leading him to question whether the vampiress had foolishly seen him as a rival for the affections of the gentleman in question. Even William himself seemed to make more of an effort to include Xander in conversation, going so far as to insist that the boy call him Spike, as the other members of the household were wont to. At first, Xander was unable to explain this change in behaviour, but he soon came to the conclusion that Spike had seen his flash of temper as a sign of his character, something in the human that he could approve of. He still felt deeply uncomfortable around the vampires, but the tension was somewhat less, allowing him to relax a little.
Conversation flowed for sometime after that, and, after noticing that Spike's eyes were often on him when the vampire seemed to think he was not observed, Xander was nervous when approached by Spike, who attempted to draw him into conversation about the demon they were researching, and the possibility that they might have to fight it. Xander was sure that the vampire was teasing him, looking for a sign of fear or weakness, but either he was genuinely interested or a remarkably talented actor, and they spoke for sometime about the weapons Xander had had occasion to use while working with Buffy. Xander was surprised by the amount of attention Spike now paid to him, and could find no reason for it, but as the vampire seemed sincere in his interest, he could find no reason to object, and responded politely to all his questions, even daring to tease him a little about the prospect of patrolling alongside the slayer.
Fortunately, Spike took Xander's teasing in relatively good spirits, although the conversation soon tailed off, to be replaced by Darla and Drusilla discussing the possibility of a dance at the mansion. Although not himself a great fan of dancing, Xander knew Cordelia would be thrilled by the idea, and that, combined with the news that Cordelia was much improved and would be able to get up for a few hours the following day enhanced his good humour. All in all that day was a great improvement on the previous afternoon's embarrassment.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Sure enough, the next day saw Cordelia quite well enough to be moved, and after ensuring that she was well wrapped up, Xander escorted his sister downstairs to join the others.
Only the two ladies of the house were in the room when Xander led Cordelia in. She was greeted with joy by both of them, and conversation flowed freely. For all his dislike of Darla and Drusilla, Xander was unable to fault their manners when dealing with his sister.
After about an hour of cheerful chatter from all except Xander, the gentlemen joined the party and Cordelia ceased to be the centre of attention as Drusilla hurried to her customary position at Spike's side. Both he and Mr McDonald offered their congratulations on Cordelia's improved health, before hurriedly moving away to the card table, followed by Drusilla, who normally had little interest in any cards other than the Tarot. Angel, on the other hand, was most attentive to his recovering guest's comfort, rebuilding the fire several times, before sitting beside her, and proceeding to talk to the exclusion of all others. Xander was amazed by the warmth and enthusiasm shown by a gentleman whose usual disposition could be described at best as broody. Clearly he was more smitten with Cordelia than even Xander had hoped.
Unsurprisingly, Drusilla soon grew bored of cards, and turned to her favourite pastime, teasing Spike. However, her efforts at distraction were unsuccessful, and she soon dropped her cards and chose to simply wander the room, humming as she picked up and rejected books, examined ornaments she had seen numerous times before, intermittently making comments designed only to draw attention to herself.
Eventually, she realised Spike was not to be distracted, and turned to Angel, asking whether he was serious about the idea of a party at the Crawford House, a prospect that had appealed to her yesterday. However, she had realised that Spike was not a great fan of such events, and was trying to deter Angel on his behalf.
Angel, after looking to Cordelia for approval, assured his sister that he had every intention of holding a dance, and that if Spike did not like such a prospect, he could either go to bed early, or take responsibility for patrol on the night in question. Drusilla, clearly disappointed that her brother would take the part of her new friend over herself, turned to Xander, asking him to escort her on a walk around the room, insisting that it would clear her head, removing the cobwebs and butterflies that
Xander was certain that there was some peculiar ulterior motive behind this request, made in such a way as to be distinctively Drusilla, but he could see no way to refuse without appearing rude, which would embarrass Cordelia, so he held out his arm to Dru, steeling himself to be the butt of some eccentric joke. However, it was Spike whom her actions were directed at, and she soon began trying to persuade him to join them. The blond vampire demurred, suggesting to Drusilla that she only wanted to walk as it showed her figure to best advantage, and if he walked with them, he would be unable to see it, which would surely defeat the object of the exercise.
Drusilla, clearly irritated at being so easily read, chose now to sit. Turning to Xander, she tried to rope him into her teasing. "Our Spike is being ever so rude. I can't think where he gets such ridiculous ideas. The stars do not sing to him as they sing to me. We must make him pay for his manner." Xander, baffled as ever by Drusilla's strange way of speaking, was unsure what to say, suggesting only that Drusilla should respond by teasing him as he teased her, or laughing at his behaviour.
"Oh, but what is there in Spike to tease about. He is not foolish like my brother, or indolent like Mr McDonald. And he detests to be laughed at." This was by far the most coherent sentence Xander had heard from Dru, but he was surprised by the sentiment.
"So we are not to tease Spike? Or laugh at him? That is remarkable. I have never before met someone who could not be laughed at. He must truly be without a flaw." Xander's role with in his family had often been to lighten the mood, and his eyes twinkled as he caught Cordelia listening to their conversation, acknowledging the truth of his last statement with a flick of one perfectly shaped eyebrow.
Spike, on the other hand, seemed somewhat perturbed by the conversation, assuring them that Dru was exaggerating his character a great deal, but arguing that always laughing at people might be a little dangerous when those people could turn out to be demons who would rip your throat out as soon as look at you.
Xander was unsure whether to view this as a threat or a warning, and hoped to let the discussion slide, although not before suggesting that the vampire ought to lighten his mood a little. When one fought against the darkness daily, one could not afford to take oneself too seriously.
Spike acknowledged the truth of this, although still insisting that those who knew about the darker side of existence ought to take it seriously. "There is a responsibility inherent in that knowledge, and I cannot find it in myself to forgive those who forget that responsibility, or misuse it. That is undoubtedly my major flaw."
"Indeed, I cannot argue with such a statement, not criticise such a character failing. You have chosen well." Xander was startled by his own audacity, never before having dared to tease the vampire, who did seem to take himself rather seriously, despite mocking the failings of all those around him.
"Everybody had a flaw, an unfortunate habit that cannot be overcome. Some, like those with a propensity for slaughter and mayhem, are more flawed than others, but everybody has a major failing, which they can never be rid of"
"And yours, it appears, is to think the worst of everyone." Xander, even as he spoke, acknowledged to himself that such a trait was unsurprising in a demon who had spent an unknown number of years being the worst of everyone.
"And yours," Once again, Spike smiled in that way that made him seem more human than demon, "is to make it impossible for anyone to take themselves seriously.
By this time, Drusilla had grown bored of a conversation too sane and serious for her tastes, and called for music and dancing. Spike, gathering his thoughts, realised that he had been paying too much attention to the human boy, and resolved to stop such a dangerous habit, which he was certain could only end badly for himself.
~*~ Chapter 13 ~*~
Although the discussion between Xander and had Spike had lessened the tension in the house somewhat, it was still with great relief that the only Giles boy sent news to his mother the next day that Cordelia was well enough to travel, and requested that she send the carriage at the soonest opportunity. However, Mrs Giles' match-making tendencies were not easily quashed, and her visit having reassured her that her children were in no danger from their vampire hosts, and that the gentleman of the house did indeed hold some affection for Cordelia, she saw a chance to further the acquaintance. Therefore she informed Xander that the carriage could not be spared for several days, and that they should enjoy Mr Angel's hospitality for as long as it was offered.
Xander, still feeling the discomfort of being in the house of a group of beings he was wary of at best, was unhappy with this answer, and prevailed upon his sister to ask her suitor for the use of his coach. Although protestations were made, with both Angel and his sisters insisting that they should be in no hurry to leave, they were only able to persuade their guests to stay for one further night, and even this was too much for Drusilla, who for all her claims of affection, disliked Xander far more than she enjoyed the company of his sister.
On William's part, the news was felt with great relief. He had been aware of his changing feelings for Xander for some time, and felt that his departure could only lessen such unwelcome interest, hopefully before Drusilla's teasing grew to such levels that the others could not help but notice. He was unsure what Angel's reaction to his feelings would be, but was entirely certain that they would be met on Darla's part with the scorn he knew in his mind they deserved.
It was thus with mixed feelings that the parting took place. Xander was eager to leave, and even Cordelia looked forward to being at home although she knew she would miss Angel, as well as the two ladies, whom she felt had become good friends. Angel was entirely distraught at the loss of such pleasant company, and pressed the two to return as soon as possible, his effusions of hospitality continuing until Darla, fearing that they would never be rid of their guests, informed him that said guests would be dead of old age before they could ever come and visit again if he did not allow them to take their leave at once. Xander could not help but smile at this, feeling that Darla would hardly see such a turn of events as a loss, despite her declarations that their home would be quite empty without Cordelia's company.
Their return home was equally ambiguous. Giles was quite relieved to see them, having felt the rather inevitable fear of a Watcher allowing those in his care to spend time in the home of not just one, but several vampires. His wife, although glad to have her children about her, could not conceal her sorrow that they had not stayed longer to allow Cordelia to further her friendship with Mr Angel.
Their sisters, as ever, greeted them enthusiastically, but soon grew distracted with discussions of demons, patrol, and the latest gossip about the soldiers of The Initiative, a military battalion posted to the Hellmouth.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
"My dear, I have exciting news. I hope your larder is well stocked, for we are to have a visitor." Mr Giles greeted his wife at breakfast the next morning with a twinkle in his eye the likes of which only appeared when a new book arrived for his library. Given the question about the larder though, it was to be assumed that the new arrival of which he spoke was something other than a demonic text.
"A guest? But who? I know of no one we are expecting." Mrs Giles seemed almost flustered, well aware of the difficulty of providing a good meal at short notice.
"Indeed, you do not know, as this is a gentleman and a stranger to you." Mrs Giles' eyes grew wide as she considered the possibilities. A gentleman, not one of their circle.
"It is Mr Angel, come to see Cordy. Oh, I must prepare such a meal…"
"Dear, please calm yourself. It is not Mr Angel. It is someone whom you, and I, have never met."
This statement, unsurprisingly, raised the interest of all his children. New people rarely came to Sunnydale for anything other than ominous reasons, and Mr Giles seemed to be looking forward to this visit.
As you know, I attended a meeting of the Watcher's Council recently, where we discussed the training of new Watchers. As he began, his wife quickly interrupted. New Watchers inevitably meant new Slayers, and Mrs Giles could not bear any discussion of the possibility that she might lose her daughter. It had also been recently revealed to her that the house belonged to the Council, and could be reclaimed by them at any time, so the possibility that someone else might need it filled her with great discomfort. She could not be reassured that the Council would be keen to support those who had done so much to further their work, and lived in dread of the day when Mr Travers, Council head, would arrive on their doorstep and make them homeless.
Mr Giles was aware of this fear, and attempted to calm his wife. "Please, do not concern yourself. We are not about to lose our home, but on of the Watchers-in-Training, the one most likely to take on the next slayer, has written to me. I shall read you his letter.
Dear Mr Giles,
Please forgive my impertinence in writing to you unsolicited, but I feel it may benefit us both. As you may be aware, I am currently in line to become Watcher in Chief should, Heaven forfend, anything befall your Slayer. Currently, I am working in Los Angeles, training my own potential Slayer, Kendra, who lives under the care of her guardian, a lady by the name of Kate Lockley. Miss Lockley has been most helpful a benefactress, supporting my work with Kendra, and providing me with a great deal of guidance from her own years of experience and her superior knowledge of these matters.
However, as I strive to be the best Watcher I can be, I feel it behoves me to seek further training. I have already met some vampires under controlled circumstances, but should value the opportunity to experience life on the front lines, so to speak. It is therefore with the utmost humility that I write seeking both your guidance and hospitality. I should be most grateful if you could allow me to accompany you and your Slayer, and learn something more of the work our noble council does at a more direct level of combat.
If this acceptable to you, please be assured of my most humble thanks. I shall arrive on the Hells Mouth, and wait upon yourself and your family, Monday, November 18th, arriving by four o'clock and hope, if it is at all agreeable to yourselves to stay until the following Sunday, allowing myself a week in which to become conversant with the work you do. My Slayer will cope without me for such a time, as I am certain I can leave her in the more than capable hands of Miss Lockley.
I eagerly wait your reply, and remain your well-wisher,
Wesley Wyndham-Pryce
On hearing the conclusion of the letter, all those present began to express their opinions at once. Mr Giles acknowledged that he seemed a most well-mannered conscientious gentleman, but Xander could tell from his eyes that he intended caution in his dealings with the man, as in all his dealings with the Council.
Cordelia and her mother agreed that he was very polite, although his language seemed a little flowery, and expressed their interest in meeting him.
The younger girls, unsurprisingly, showed little beyond the polite interest expected of them, although Buffy was unsure about the possibility of allowing a 'civilian' to accompany her on patrol.
Xander was perhaps the most perturbed about the prospect of their guest. For all his politeness, Mr Wyndham-Pryce had seemed somewhat cavalier in his manner, if not even a little pompous, considering he was directing his words to a family who could only be reminded of the possibility of their beloved daughter and sister's death by his presence as the man who would take responsibility for her replacement, and his attitude to Miss Lockley had seemed excessively obsequious. However, allowing the need for an open mind he pledged to wait until meeting the gentleman before judging him.
Sure enough, Mr Wyndham-Pryce arrived promptly that afternoon, to be greeted politely, if with little enthusiasm, by the whole family. Fortunately, they were not forced to try and make conversation, as that gentleman seemed inclined to talk rather than listen. He could not be faulted on his manners, complimenting Mrs Giles on her delightful family, Mr Giles on his incomparable library, and their children on their many and varied talents, any number of which he had been informed of by the Council.
Such compliments were pleasant, but as the evening wore on, and he continued to gush about everything from the meal to Buffy's training schedule to the curtains in the drawing room, it grew a little wearing. At one point, his complimentary manner slipped, as he suggested that perhaps a lady as young as Willow ought not to be dealing with such complicated magicks, but when Mr Giles assured him that she would never overstep her bounds without supervision, he grew embarrassed, and continued to apologise for a full fifteen minutes for his questioning of her abilities.
Dinner passed in much the same way. Mr Wyndham Pryce dominated the conversation, veering between gushing compliments for his hosts, and mentions of ways in which Miss Lockley, his wonderful benefactress would be able to advise them of how to improve their work, having such vast experience in the world of the supernatural
The talk soon, under his direction, turned to the topic of Kendra, Miss Lockley's charge, and a potential Slayer. Xander, sensing that this would be a sore subject for all those present, tried to steer the conversation away, but the young Watcher could not be distracted from his effusive descriptions of her physical talents, mental acuity, the commitment she had to her training and, of course, the immeasurable amount of work Miss Lockley had done to ensure she would be the best Slayer she could possibly be.
At this point, Buffy looked as though she were about to join the conversation, struggling to keep her temper when she did so, and although understanding her fury, Xander knew that anything she might say could work against her, particularly if Mr Wyndham-Pryce were to report to the Council. Buffy had always been a rather unconventional Slayer, but under Giles' supervision, it had been possible to disguise quite how far her approach differed from that demanded by the Slayer's Handbook. Fortunately, Giles had also spotted Buffy's anger, and chose that moment to suggest that their guest come and take a closer look at his library.
The two Watchers spent almost two hours in the library before rejoining the others, at which point Giles suggested that his colleague should update the Slayer and her siblings on some of the newer information the Council had about the Hellmouth. Mr Wyndham-Pryce seemed very flattered to be asked, and proceeded to talk, rather long-windedly, about the energies the Council had put into learning more about the demonic hotspot, and the central rule he had had in that research. Within minutes, Buffy had grown bored, and informed Giles that it was essential that she patrol, at once, alone. Her Watcher, while trying to cover up her rudeness, acceded that she should patrol, and managed to distract the other Watcher from asking to accompany her by suggesting a Scotch in his study while they waited for her to return.
To everybody's relief, Mr Wyndham-Pryce agreed, and the two once more took their leave, allowing Buffy to patrol, and Xander and Cordelia to dissect the character of their curious new guest.
~*~ Chapter 14 ~*~
Wesley Wyndham Pryce was not a sensible man, despite his breadth of learning. He had been chosen by the Watchers' Council as much for his perceived malleability and willingness to accept without question the dictums they passed down as for his intellect. Those esteemed people had learned much from their experience with the current, somewhat rebellious, Watcher and his intractable Slayer.
Wesley had therefore fallen rather on his feet. His likely position as next Watcher-to-the-Slayer gave him advantages others did not have, and his patronage by Miss Lockley, a loyal friend to the Council in her determination to eradicate the demonic threat, was a further boon to his status. He was, however, aware of some of his own failings, and this curious combination of his self-importance and fear of failure meant his manner veered between pride and obsequiousness, arrogance and humility.
Despite this confusion, he had grown secure enough in his position to be seeking to settle down. Seeing Mr Giles and his family so harmoniously together had inspired him to seek a companion who could not only fill a place in his heart, but also contribute the fight that, as a Watcher, he would fight daily. Therefore, he had concluded, what better than to choose one of his colleague's charges? All of them had experience of the fight against the forces of evil already, and he felt it might soften the blow of losing their sister and their home when the current Slayer fell if they already had links to the new Slayer. Being a rather foolish man, he did not pause to think that perhaps such a connection might be the hardest thing for the family to bear when the inevitable day of bereavement came.
He had settled this matter to his own satisfaction before ever arriving in Sunnydale, and his intentions were reinforced on first meeting the Giles', all of whom were both handsome and intelligent. At first, Cordelia, as the eldest girl, had been his choice; she was undoubtedly a beauty, if perhaps a little more tenacious than he was accustomed to finding his women. However, a talk with Mrs Giles in which his hopes were revealed caused her in turn to reveal her hopes for the friendship between her eldest daughter and the esteemed Mr Angel.
On hearing this news, Wesley had only to switch his intentions to Xander – almost as he assured Mrs Giles of his understanding of Cordelia's situation it was done. Xander would undoubtedly be a worthy companion; he was brave and loyal to the current Slayer in a way that Wesley was certain could transfer to his own charge on Buffy's death. He was also a handsome young man, light hearted and lacking the brusque manner that made Cordelia a fearsome if desirable prospect.
The knowledge of this decision left Mrs Giles secure in the knowledge that two of her children might soon be settled, and she inwardly pledged to support Mr Wyndham Pryce's pursuit of her only son as far as she could. He was a polite, well educated gentleman with excellent prospects, and if his manner were a little fawning, or his job a little dangerous, these were faults she could stand if it would provide her beloved children with the security she wanted for them.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Despite his pursuit of romantic entanglements, there was of course another more openly discussed reason for Mr Wyndham Pryce's visit. When Buffy began preparing for her patrol that evening, he ventured to suggest that he might be allowed to accompany the Slayer and her Watcher. Seeing an excellent opportunity, Mr Giles seized upon it. If Wesley wished to experience patrol, there was no reason why he could not accompany Buffy in her own Watcher's place, supervising her and her siblings, and allowing Mr Giles a rare evening at home with his wife and youngest daughter – Dawn, to her great chagrin, was still judged too young for patrol.
Mr Giles could not help but congratulate himself on this plan. The younger Watcher could feel content that he had been trusted with the care of the Slayer and her companions, and Mr Giles could rest, while safe in the knowledge that little harm could befall the inexperienced Watcher whilst in the charge of four practised patrollers, with a Slayer, a witch and a strong young man in their number. Even Cordelia, recovering from a vampire bite, would be fully capable of handling a stake, and Rupert Giles was certain that they would protect the bumbling young trainee Watcher from coming to any great harm.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
The patrol began much as usual. Xander and Cordelia, by virtue of Cordy's injury, hung back, and were saddled with Wesley, who occasionally paid lip service to Watcher duties, but in fact seemed more interested in relating his own self-confessed vast experience in demon fighting. The two responded politely, but dared not imagine what might be Wesley's response if he were to be forced to deal with a demon outside of the 'controlled circumstances' he spoke so extensively of. Fortunately, Buffy and Willow dispatched most threats before he was in any danger of being expected to act.
As was wont to be the case in Sunnydale since the arrival of The Initiative, they were not the only group patrolling that night, and a newcomer, a soldier they had not previously encountered, soon caught the eyes of all the Giles'. As the gentleman was in a group that also included Captain Miller, an acquaintance of theirs, it seemed only polite to stop, and much time was taken in introductions on both sides. The younger ladies were most delighted to make the acquaintance of Captain Finn, a handsome man, whose open friendly countenance and easy conversation soon endeared him to them all.
As they exchanged pleasantries and news about possible demon threats in the area, sounds alerted them to the approach of others. Within moments, Angel and Spike had rounded a corner. Seeing the group, they came forward to greet them, Angel expressing his delight at seeing Cordelia so much recovered. He had, he assured them, been on his way to the Giles home to enquire after her. His friend nodded his confirmation of this fact, casting his eyes about for a place to look other than at Xander. Suddenly, his eyes caught those of the new soldier, and both froze, Xander noticing that Captain Finn blushed a violent red, while the vampire's eyes flickered gold and he struggled to retain his human countenance.
After a moment of this, both calmed somewhat, Finn inclining his head politely at Spike, who simply turned to leave, followed by his friend, who had noticed nothing amiss, so entranced by Cordelia had he been.
Xander was captivated by the behaviour of the two men. What could have caused such a reaction? There was clearly to be no answer to his questions in the short term, and they were put to one side, to be discussed with his sister later.
As the two vampires had taken their leave, the group now began to move again, Miller and Finn escorting them to the magick shop, where Willow had to collect some supplies from Jenny Calendar, before saluting and returning to their own patrol, despite Buffy's entreaties that they come in and join them.
Miss Calendar was, as ever, delighted to see her young friends, congratulating Cordelia on her fortunate escape and rapid recovery. She was clearly somewhat bemused by Mr Wyndham Pryce's manner on introduction to her, but took it in good grace. She was not expected to speak with him for long, as Buffy and Willow soon interrupted, clamouring for intelligence about the charming Captain Finn. Unfortunately, the older Wiccan had not yet had opportunity to learn much about that gentleman, but had invited a small number of the soldiers to meet with her the next day, and would make certain that he was among their number if the ladies, and of course, Xander, would like to attend. Remembering her manners, she extended the invitation to include Wesley, who spent a full ten minutes expressing his delight and honour, before Cordelia was able to stem the flow and remind him that they ought to be patrolling.
As they returned to the house, pausing to deal with several stray vampires along the way, Xander related to Cordelia what had passed between Finn and Spike earlier. His sister had seen nothing, and could offer no explanation, although she spent some time suggesting all manner of scandalous reasons why the two might react that way to each other.
When they reached the house, they hurried away to bed, leaving Wesley to regale Mr and Mrs Giles with stories of his bravery upon encountering the innumerable vampires out that night and declarations of his great honour at being invited to join Miss Calendar the next day, assuring them that, next to Miss Lockley, she was the most delightful woman he had ever met, and he was quite certain her magickal skills would provide him with valuable new knowledge to take back to his Slayer. As usual, he did not notice the uncomfortable reaction from his host each time he mentioned his own charge, and it took a good half hour of platitudes and noncommittal replies before the elder Giles' were able to escape to their bed.