Title: A Family Way 3/?
Author: Hayley
E-Mail: hayleylamb2000@yahoo.com
Summary: Sequel to 'Spellbound'.
Rating: Nothing too shocking, but just for grins I'll give it an overall "R" (Better Safe Than Sorry)
Disclaimer: The bad news is they aren't mine. The good news is what Joss don't know won't hurt him.
Feedback: Would make me do a happy little Snoopy Dance all over my study
. . . .
Distribution: Ooh! Just as likely as feedback to make me Snoopy Dance!! Just let me know where and it's yours. . . .
Spoilers: None really. . . .
*~*~*~*~*
"Have I mentioned that I really don't like him?"
Xander's jaw dropped. "No! Really? I wasn't sure what with the way you mentioned him and 'evisceration' in the same sentence."
Buffy shrugged. "I'm sorry. But I thought Travers was a pain. Giles' father is worse." Reaching out she snagged a couple of french fries from Xander's plate and got swatted for the effort. "If I didn't understand why Giles ran off and became 'Ripper' before I do now. He's always talking about me like I'm an escaped science project."
"How long is he going to be in town?" Willow asked reaching for a few more of Xander's fries. "Could you maybe- I don't know? Avoid him."
"I keep trying but he's always at the museum going over Giles' Watcher Diaries."
"You're kidding! I thought those were supposed to be for your Watcher only until he died!"
"Apparently there's this loophole where they have to be presented on 'special request'."
Xander looked up and asked. "On the scale of one to ten, how mad is Giles right now?"
Sighing, Buffy plucked the remainder of Xander's fries off the plate. "Let's just put it this way- if you see Giles in a dark alley you might wanna consider running in the other direction."
***
"Insufferable arrogant ..."
"If you don't stop that Rupert you're going to give yourself a heart attack." Trevor remarked mildly as he watched his brother push himself on the treadmill.
"I thought this was supposed to prevent that." Giles grumbled as he returned to a more even pace.
"We'll see what the results are." Trevor glanced down at Rupert's medical chart. "But I will say this you're in damnedably good health for a man your age. If I could find a way to bottle your health I'd be a rich man."
"Easy." Giles puffed out. "Just write a prescription for your patients to join the Council, get assigned an active Slayer and reccomend that they avert an appocalypse a year on average."
Trevor snorted. "Right. Stake two vampires and call me in the morning? I think not. Don't you have your own physician here in Sunnydale?"
"Not a steady one. They might begin to ask questions about the amount of time I spend in the emergency room on monthly basis. It's simpler to list an out of country doctor who I'm certain the hospital will never make any effort to contact. Namely you." At his brother's signal, Giles slowed his pace on the treadmill. "And really- aside from being knocked about I haven't actually been *sick* in the last 6 years."
"How's your drinking?" When Rupert turned a cool gaze on him, Trevor merely shrugged. "I'm not asking as your brother I'm asking as your physician. You're not 15 anymore Rupert and I'm not going to go running to mother about it so quit being belligerant and tell me."
"What is it you want me to tell you? That I still drink? Fine. I still drink more than I should. But I drink less now than I have in the last few years. Cordelia has me on a short leash."
"If the end result is keeping your liver functional for another 10 years then she should feel free to keep that leash as short as she likes." Trevor jotted down a few notes in Giles' chart and proceeded to check the results on the portable heart monitor he had connected to his brother. "Seriously though Rupert- now is the time for you to cut back. Think of it in terms of having more years with your wife and your child. You've always maintained that the drinking didn't matter because you had nothing to look forward to- now you do. Don't piss that away."
Hearing the truth as well as the concern behind Trevor's words, Giles tamped down on his impatience at being lectured to. His brother was right- as was his habit. And he had told Trevor the truth, he was drinking much less lately without realizing why. For the first time in his life he had something to look forward to.
The life of a Watcher was generally a solitary one. Those who did marry and raise families did so long before turning 47. He'd been resigned to a life without companionship or family now faced with both he wanted very much to have all the time in the world to enjoy them. "Are you quite through lecturing me?"
"God I hope so. There's no stopping Trev when he gets nattering on like an old woman." Devon stepped into the basement of the museum carrying a couple of deli sacks. "Brought lunch."
"All right. We're through for now anyway." Trevor recorded the last of the results and tucked Giles' chart away for further analysis later when he could concentrate on it fully. "Now Devon tell us what you've been up to this afternoon."
Taking a seat at the round conference table, Devon spread out the sandwiches and salads and twisted the cap off a bottle of water. "Did you know property in Sunnydale is pathetically undervalued?"
Giles reached for a towel and rubbed his face. "You can't be serious? Low property values on a Hellmouth? I suppose it might be the high death rate. Or possibly the repeated destruction of property in any number of supernatural occurences from earthquakes to zombies." He had cleaned his glasses and with a quick wash of his hands joined his suspiciously grinning brothers when an idea occured to him. "And why are you looking at property in southern California?"
"It's customary to have a place to move TO when one is moving." Devon answered smugly. "I hope you haven't taken to nude sunbathing in the backyard Rupert- as of this time next week you're going to have new neighbors. I've got the place to the south of you and Trev's place will be to the north."
For a moment Giles was too stunned to speak. "You- You can't be serious. Move *to* Sunnydale? Trevor you have a practice."
"A practice that I've been phasing myself out of for some time." Trevor responded evenly. "The younger partners are ready, willing and able to buy me out. It's going to cost them a pretty penny but that's the plan. Once they do there's nothing to keep me there. I can open a part time practice here to keep my hand in..." He met Giles' surprised gaze with sincerity. "And I want very much to be near family again."
"And you Dev?"
"Me? Oh hell Rupert- I can write anywhere. And the two of you aren't leaving me stranded on the other side of the ocean with our father." Devon grinned. "I'll be damned if I'll be taking care of him in his old age."
"I don't know what to say... you are determined?"
"It's already a done deal."
**
Crawford Street Mansion:
"Angel? Is that you? I've just run across something that bears investigation..." Emerging from the mansion's library, Wesley held a teacup in one hand and an ancient Sumerian text in the other. "There is mention here of the one of the first expeditions..." Wesley words trailed off as he faced the stranger standing in the doorway of the offices. "Oh excuse me. May I be of assistance?"
"Wesley Wyndham-Price I presume."
"Yes. And you would be?"
"Neville Giles."
Closing the Sumerian text with a barely audible snap, Wesley nodded. "Yes. I must admit your presence here is something of a surprise."
Neville surveyed the mansion's interior. "As is yours Mr. Wyndham-Price. I can honestly say that I never would have expected to find Andrew Pryce's son to be working for a vampire."
At the mention of his father's name, Wesley's spine fused into a steel rod. "The duties I perform here are virtually identical to those I performed as Watcher. Only with a greater degree of freedom in how I perform them." He set down the book at the edge of Cordelia's desk and gestured to his teacup. "Would you care for some..."
"No. I am looking for my son's fiancee."
"Ah- I'm afraid Cordelia's gone out on an errand."
"I'll wait." Neville seated himself on the sitting room sofa.
**
Author: Hayley
E-Mail: hayleylamb2000@yahoo.com
Summary: Sequel to 'Spellbound'.
Rating: Nothing too shocking, but just for grins I'll give it an overall "R" (Better Safe Than Sorry)
Disclaimer: The bad news is they aren't mine. The good news is what Joss don't know won't hurt him.
Feedback: Would make me do a happy little Snoopy Dance all over my study
. . . .
Distribution: Ooh! Just as likely as feedback to make me Snoopy Dance!! Just let me know where and it's yours. . . .
Spoilers: None really. . . .
*~*~*~*~*
"Have I mentioned that I really don't like him?"
Xander's jaw dropped. "No! Really? I wasn't sure what with the way you mentioned him and 'evisceration' in the same sentence."
Buffy shrugged. "I'm sorry. But I thought Travers was a pain. Giles' father is worse." Reaching out she snagged a couple of french fries from Xander's plate and got swatted for the effort. "If I didn't understand why Giles ran off and became 'Ripper' before I do now. He's always talking about me like I'm an escaped science project."
"How long is he going to be in town?" Willow asked reaching for a few more of Xander's fries. "Could you maybe- I don't know? Avoid him."
"I keep trying but he's always at the museum going over Giles' Watcher Diaries."
"You're kidding! I thought those were supposed to be for your Watcher only until he died!"
"Apparently there's this loophole where they have to be presented on 'special request'."
Xander looked up and asked. "On the scale of one to ten, how mad is Giles right now?"
Sighing, Buffy plucked the remainder of Xander's fries off the plate. "Let's just put it this way- if you see Giles in a dark alley you might wanna consider running in the other direction."
***
"Insufferable arrogant ..."
"If you don't stop that Rupert you're going to give yourself a heart attack." Trevor remarked mildly as he watched his brother push himself on the treadmill.
"I thought this was supposed to prevent that." Giles grumbled as he returned to a more even pace.
"We'll see what the results are." Trevor glanced down at Rupert's medical chart. "But I will say this you're in damnedably good health for a man your age. If I could find a way to bottle your health I'd be a rich man."
"Easy." Giles puffed out. "Just write a prescription for your patients to join the Council, get assigned an active Slayer and reccomend that they avert an appocalypse a year on average."
Trevor snorted. "Right. Stake two vampires and call me in the morning? I think not. Don't you have your own physician here in Sunnydale?"
"Not a steady one. They might begin to ask questions about the amount of time I spend in the emergency room on monthly basis. It's simpler to list an out of country doctor who I'm certain the hospital will never make any effort to contact. Namely you." At his brother's signal, Giles slowed his pace on the treadmill. "And really- aside from being knocked about I haven't actually been *sick* in the last 6 years."
"How's your drinking?" When Rupert turned a cool gaze on him, Trevor merely shrugged. "I'm not asking as your brother I'm asking as your physician. You're not 15 anymore Rupert and I'm not going to go running to mother about it so quit being belligerant and tell me."
"What is it you want me to tell you? That I still drink? Fine. I still drink more than I should. But I drink less now than I have in the last few years. Cordelia has me on a short leash."
"If the end result is keeping your liver functional for another 10 years then she should feel free to keep that leash as short as she likes." Trevor jotted down a few notes in Giles' chart and proceeded to check the results on the portable heart monitor he had connected to his brother. "Seriously though Rupert- now is the time for you to cut back. Think of it in terms of having more years with your wife and your child. You've always maintained that the drinking didn't matter because you had nothing to look forward to- now you do. Don't piss that away."
Hearing the truth as well as the concern behind Trevor's words, Giles tamped down on his impatience at being lectured to. His brother was right- as was his habit. And he had told Trevor the truth, he was drinking much less lately without realizing why. For the first time in his life he had something to look forward to.
The life of a Watcher was generally a solitary one. Those who did marry and raise families did so long before turning 47. He'd been resigned to a life without companionship or family now faced with both he wanted very much to have all the time in the world to enjoy them. "Are you quite through lecturing me?"
"God I hope so. There's no stopping Trev when he gets nattering on like an old woman." Devon stepped into the basement of the museum carrying a couple of deli sacks. "Brought lunch."
"All right. We're through for now anyway." Trevor recorded the last of the results and tucked Giles' chart away for further analysis later when he could concentrate on it fully. "Now Devon tell us what you've been up to this afternoon."
Taking a seat at the round conference table, Devon spread out the sandwiches and salads and twisted the cap off a bottle of water. "Did you know property in Sunnydale is pathetically undervalued?"
Giles reached for a towel and rubbed his face. "You can't be serious? Low property values on a Hellmouth? I suppose it might be the high death rate. Or possibly the repeated destruction of property in any number of supernatural occurences from earthquakes to zombies." He had cleaned his glasses and with a quick wash of his hands joined his suspiciously grinning brothers when an idea occured to him. "And why are you looking at property in southern California?"
"It's customary to have a place to move TO when one is moving." Devon answered smugly. "I hope you haven't taken to nude sunbathing in the backyard Rupert- as of this time next week you're going to have new neighbors. I've got the place to the south of you and Trev's place will be to the north."
For a moment Giles was too stunned to speak. "You- You can't be serious. Move *to* Sunnydale? Trevor you have a practice."
"A practice that I've been phasing myself out of for some time." Trevor responded evenly. "The younger partners are ready, willing and able to buy me out. It's going to cost them a pretty penny but that's the plan. Once they do there's nothing to keep me there. I can open a part time practice here to keep my hand in..." He met Giles' surprised gaze with sincerity. "And I want very much to be near family again."
"And you Dev?"
"Me? Oh hell Rupert- I can write anywhere. And the two of you aren't leaving me stranded on the other side of the ocean with our father." Devon grinned. "I'll be damned if I'll be taking care of him in his old age."
"I don't know what to say... you are determined?"
"It's already a done deal."
**
Crawford Street Mansion:
"Angel? Is that you? I've just run across something that bears investigation..." Emerging from the mansion's library, Wesley held a teacup in one hand and an ancient Sumerian text in the other. "There is mention here of the one of the first expeditions..." Wesley words trailed off as he faced the stranger standing in the doorway of the offices. "Oh excuse me. May I be of assistance?"
"Wesley Wyndham-Price I presume."
"Yes. And you would be?"
"Neville Giles."
Closing the Sumerian text with a barely audible snap, Wesley nodded. "Yes. I must admit your presence here is something of a surprise."
Neville surveyed the mansion's interior. "As is yours Mr. Wyndham-Price. I can honestly say that I never would have expected to find Andrew Pryce's son to be working for a vampire."
At the mention of his father's name, Wesley's spine fused into a steel rod. "The duties I perform here are virtually identical to those I performed as Watcher. Only with a greater degree of freedom in how I perform them." He set down the book at the edge of Cordelia's desk and gestured to his teacup. "Would you care for some..."
"No. I am looking for my son's fiancee."
"Ah- I'm afraid Cordelia's gone out on an errand."
"I'll wait." Neville seated himself on the sitting room sofa.
**