Title: Any Day Now
Author: Jozzy
Disclaimer: See part 1
Part7
The hard part was walking into school the next day of school. Buffy saw Jesse's face on every guy she came across. Looking at all of her peers hanging out she didn't feel the usual jealousy, but instead she felt remorse, guilt, and sadness at her actions the night before. Walking away from Jesse had been the worst thing she had ever done. All night she cried tears of anguish and self hatred.
Buffy dreaded meeting up with Willow today, knowing that the girl would be distraught over her friends death and knowing also that she was responsible. How could she face her and pretend like nothing was wrong. like just a few hours ago she hadn't let her friend be devoured by two vamps.
All I want to do is crawl under my covers and never come out. That's the kind of attitude that got that poor guy killed last night. Stop being such a wimp. You are the slayer, the one born in every generation. You can do this, you will do this, its your duty.
With a nod of affirmation Buffy walked into the library. The librarian, Merrick had told her, was a watcher. She had gone through all of her old slayer gear last night, there wasn't a lot left, most of it she had left in L.A., not wanting to be reminded of her responsibilities. Amongst the few stakes, crosses, and bottles of holy water she had found a note from her deceased watcher.
^Dear Buffy,
I know that if you are reading this letter I did not survive some tumulus battle. This means that you will be with out a watcher now. Every slayer needs a watcher, which is why I have made sure that there is one near by if you need him. His name is Rupert Giles, and he is waiting orders in a small town near by called Sunnydale. His is one of our best, Buffy, when the time comes I hope you will contact him. He is undercover at Sunnydale High School as their librarian.
Be careful Buffy,
Merrick^
The letter had been brief and on the surface kind of cold, but reading it had made Buffy cry fresh tears. It reminded her of the man that had been kind of like a father to her. Merrick was passionate about slaying, saving the world from demons, but rarely was he emotional in other areas. At first their relationship had been strictly business, but over time, as like would to happen in such circumstances, she had think of him as a friend as well as her watcher. Hopefully the new watcher, Mr. Giles, would be as good as Merrick had been, but Buffy doubted it.
***********
"Hello, are you Mr. Giles?"
The man who turned around was tall, with sharp striking features. Nice eyes, too bad about the glasses. He looked kind of stuffy actually, with an oxford shirt, tie, and tweed jacket and matching pants. Not at all like Merrick who had more of beggar look to him. But then Merrick had been roaming the country trying to find her, the slayer, and probably close hadn't been very important. This Mr. Giles was different, while Buffy couldn't call his outfit even remotely fashionable, it was obvious that he liked to look nice.
Come on Buff you will not compare this guy to Merrick, its not fair. Give him a chance.
The man nodded, "I am Rupert Giles, and you young lady are whom?" His accent was noticeable enough to realize his English parentage.
Buffy was surprised that he didn't recognize her, Merrick had. From what she gathered this Mr. Giles and Merrick had been communicating off and on after she had been found. Merrick had undoubtedly described Buffy to him, so that he could recognize her when they finally met.
"I'm Buffy...the Slayer."
The man looked kind of shocked, " Then its true, Merrick has died?"
Buffy looked down at the ground, "Yeah its true, he was killed by Lothos a few months ago."
Mr. Giles sighed, "But what are you doing here? The plan was for me to go L.A., not for you to come to Sunnydale."
Buffy glared, " Sorry, but my parents had other PLANS and I had to move here. I didn't even know that you were here till I went through some things Merrick left me last night. This is all happened by chance."
Mr. Giles nodded, "Of course, I had heard a few rumors of Merrick's death, but when I received no word from you I just assumed they were not true."
Buffy once again looked down at her shoes, looking terribly embarrassed. "Well you know what they say about assumption, makes an ass out of you and me."
Mr. Giles blithely raised an eyebrow, then walked into his office. A few minutes later her returned with a book in his hand. "This is for you Ms. Summers, in it is everything you need to know about slaying."
Buffy rolled her eyes, "Keep your book, I know everything I need to know to slay, and anything else that's important most likely won't be in that dumb book."
Mr. Giles pressed the book into her hands. " I think that we will need to set some rules Ms. Summers. First of all what I say goes, I am your watcher. Secondly, you will read The Slayer's Handbook, all slayers read it, you will be expected to be able to site from it word for word by the end of the month. Third, this insolence will not be tolerated, I am your elder and you will therefore you will treat me with the curtsy due some one of my status."
Buffy laughed, "Okay here are MY rules Mr. Giles. I am not your subordinate, I won't read that damn book and I won't known all of it word for word. I will try my very best to be respectful, but that is a two way street."
With that she turned, moving towards the door she set the handbook on a table. She paused after placing the book on the hard wood. "Oh and Mr. Giles, my name is Buffy, not Ms. Summers. I'm sixteen not thirty."
The slayer then stalked through the library doors and into the mass of students in the main hall, leaving a stunned Mr. Giles in her wake. He angrily turned and stamped into his office once more, slamming the door behind him.
In his office he didn't notice the small red headed figure exiting the library from the stacks.
********
It was the last period of the day once more, Buffy was anxious. Willow and that boy...Zack or Xander or something, were there in the back of the room, but neither had said a word for the entire class. They just sat there staring at the blackboard not even seeing it. When the teacher, Ms. Davis, had asked Willow a question she had just stared at her until Ms. Davis asked someone else.
God this is way too hard. I didn't think it would be this difficult to be around her. I want to shoot myself. I should be shot for what I did. Oh Willow, I am so sorry for causing you all this pain.
"Ms. Summers, the class has ended, the bell has rung. Perhaps you and Ms. Rosenburg and Mr. Harris would like to leave now." Ms. Davis dryly commented from behind her desk.
Buffy blushed and looked behind her, indeed Willow and her friend were still back there, only now it was Buffy they were staring at. Hard. The kind of staring that made your skin crawl. They were staring at her with purpose.
Buffy stood, and Willow and the guy did as well. She moved towards the door and they followed. Once in the hall Willow finally stopped her.
"I went to the library this morning Buffy, and you wont believe what I heard."
Buffy gasped, Willow knew, and more than likely her friend now knew as well. If Willow knew that Buffy was the slayer then she probably knew that it was her fault that Jesse was dead. Willow probably hated her now.
Willow cleared her throat to again Buffy's attention once more. " I don't know what a slayer is Buffy, but I do know that what ever it is its some how connected with how Jesse died last night. I can't prove it but I feel that your involved in this some how."
"Willow, I don't know what you mean. Look, I'm very sorry about your friend, but I didn't have anything to do with it." Great Buffy, lie to her.
Willow chuckled, "Some how Summers I don't believe you. Xander and I went to see the body at lunch today Buffy. But there was something weird about the body, wasn't there Xander, now what was it...Oh yeah, the puncture wounds. Two of them Buffy, in his neck, looked kind of like something bit him. Now normally I wouldn't have thought anything truly strange, some times Jess does some weird things, but I had just heard that little chat between you and Mr. Giles, the librarian. Now like I said I don't know what a slayer is, or why Jess has bite marks on him. But just know that they are related to how and why he is dead. YOU, Buffy Summers are going to help me figure out the connection."
Buffy pleaded, "Please Willow, you don't know what your getting yourself into here. Leave all of this alone. Its safer that way."
Willow pushed Buffy into the wall, leaning in until she was only a few centimeters between her and Buffy. " I am going to find out what happened to my friend Buffy. We'll be staking out the cemetery where Jess died tonight. And if your even partially the girl I thought I liked, you'll show up. Come on Xander let's go."
********
End Part 7