Hope

What must be known is that the characters from both Mysterious ways and BTVS are not mine. I don't own them and am not making any money from this so please don't sue.

July 21 1992

Sydney Australia:

Giles made his way towards the lounge room, the dark suit that he had put on for this mornings events was slightly crinkled, tie slung carelessly around his neck and an unbuttoned jacket giving way to an unironed shirt.

He reached the loungeroom to find it buzzing with people. Most of whom he knew, fellow members of the Watchers Council, others the relatives and friends of the woman who had her life cut dramatically short. Giles gazed around the room before settling on the man standing quietly by himself near the fireplace, glass of whisky in hand.

"Michael." Giles said in his quiet English manner, walking up to him and placing a comforting hand on the his shoulder.

"Rupert." Michael replied tiredly, keeping his head bowed towards the mantle. "I didn't think you were going to make it."

"Least I could do old man. Catherine was a lovely woman."

"I know." He stopped, not knowing what else to say. He downed the last of his whisky, staring blankly ahead of him, fingers tightening around his glass as he struggled to stay composed. "Damn Council…"

"Michael-"

"They said there would be no side effects…"

"Michael." Giles said again, taking Michaels empty glass and placing it on the mantle beside them. "Don't start blaming yourself. Catherine agreed, and look what you got. Hope is the most beautiful young girl in the world. Healthy and normal and…"

"Normal?" Michael hissed. " She will never know a normal life. Her destiny is sealed Rupert. All because of some…some experiment."

Giles nodded and straightened his glasses. "I feel exactly the same as you Michael. You know where I stood when they took the vote. But the council is to strong a force to be reckoned with…"

"The Council…They stand around here, feeling no remorse, offering me their sympathies, when they are the ones who took away my wife. Took away my children's mother…" Bitterness spat of his tongue as he turned and looked around the room. The chatter vibrated around the room, the distinct sound of laughter sounding every now and then before it would die down with a friendly slap on the back and a sip of tea, or more preferably, beer.

"I know you want to blame someone for your loss. I know it hurts-"

"You know?" Michael cut in. His eyes moved and met Giles. It was a dark sight. The choice he had made was a hard one, but it had do be made, and now he was a man who had to face raising his two children alone. "The one person that matters to me is gone and you say you know?"

"You must concentrate your efforts now." Giles said wisely. "You have a duty to the council, as do I. Being a watcher is the most honourable experience you could be given. None of these men in this room know whether they will ever be given the chance. But you…" Giles stopped, wondering for a second if Michael was still listening. He moved his head slightly and Giles continued. "...You rejoiced in hearing that Hope could be the link in overcoming the evil that roams this earth. Don't tell me that that is all gone. My view may be different to yours, I may have held back, but trust your instincts Michael. The Council has."

Michael looked at Giles, listening to what he was saying, but not hearing. "The Council…" Michael said quietly. "Holds life in its hands."

Giles looked at the floor. This he knew was true.

* * *

2002

U.S.A

"Declan, come on. Can we go now?"

"Yeah, yeah. Just wait a sec."

"You said that half and hour ago." Miranda crossed her arms as she watched Declan from the doorway of his office. He continued to fumble around, pulling various files from the unusual places in which he kept them before deciding to go into uncharted territory of the space underneath his desk.

"Just a second Miranda." Declan mumbled again, crawling underneath the big slab of oak. "Won't be a…Uh huh!" he cried triumphantly, turning onto his belly and looking at the piece of paper he held in his hand. "Found it." A smile crossed his face as he slid from his desk, hitting his head on the underside of the wood, letting out a distasteful curse before making his way out successfully.

"Good! Can we go now?"

He turned the file over happily in his hands, studying it front and back, but stopped when Mirandas angry stare greeted him from the doorway. "What?"

Miranda sighed angrily, shaking her head before turning and walking out the doorway.

"Miranda! What?" Declan quickly hopped from his spot on the floor, hurriedly rummaging for his keys before making his way after her.

He found her leaning on his big red truck, waiting impatiently for him to catch up.

"Miranda, what's wrong with you?" he asked, puffing slightly.

Miranda opened her door and climbed in. "Declan. It's nearly three in the morning. I'm tired and I want to go home."

Declan hopped in beside her and slammed the door. "I know. I told you I would give you a ride."

"It would have been quicker if I walked."

"Come on Miranda. I'm sorry…"

Silence was his reply as he started his dirty beast and made his way out of the university carpark. The windscreen fogged up precariously, and the only way of seeing was when Declan would wipe it with his sleeve every so often. Miranda sighed and leaned her head on the cool glass. Her head ached with tiredness as she gazed through barely open eyes out into the darkness.

"So, when's your bike back in action?"

Miranda didn't move. "Next Tuesday."

Declan nodded, his eyes darting from the road over to her, then back to the road again. "Bet you'll be glad to get it back, eh?"

"Yep."

Declan sighed, concern creasing his forehead. "Miranda? What's up?"

"Declan…"

"Come on Miranda? I'm sorry if I took…"

"Declan." Miranda repeated, raising her head from the glass and wiping the windshield with her hand. "Declan look…"

"What?"

"Out there." Miranda nodded towards the road in front of them.

Declan turned his eyes back to the road, a number of figures looming ahead. He slowed down to a halt and wiped the windscreen once more in an attempt to get a better view. The professors eyes widened when he saw one of the figures slam another into the ground before being jumped on by another.

Before Miranda could stop him Declan had jumped from his truck and was making his way towards the scene. "Hey!"

"Get out of here!" a blonde girl yelled from the other side of the road. She sent two punches towards the man attacking her before he picked her up and slammed her into the tarmac. Declan winced as he heard her crack upon impact. But without any sign of pain she regained her composure and jumped up towards the man, skilfully kicking herself free from his grasp and sending him back with just as much force as he possessed.

"What's going on?" Miranda asked, joining him next to the truck.

"I don't know." he whispered before calling out again to the girl who got thrown onto the ground. "Hey!"

"Get out of here!" she repeated. "Now!"

Declan shook his head as he started towards the group. Miranda hesitated, but before she could say anything, Declan was back by her side, landing on the truck with a thump. Surprised, he looked down at the man who had fallen upon him. Blood covered his clothes, bruises his body as he stepped away from the professor, holding a hand up in way of an apology, but his gaze concentrated on the fight going on behind him. Declan raised his eyebrows as he recognised the individual standing in front of him.

"Scott?"

Scott's gaze darted from the scene back to Declan's, narrowing when he saw who it was. "Professor Dunn?"

"Scott, what are you doing? What is this?"

Scott wiped the blood away from face, looking back to the fight he had just escaped from, keeping his guard as he stammered some sort of explanation towards his professor. "You…you… got to get out of here. They're mad. Vampires. That's what they are. Vampires..."

"Calm down Scott. Just, get in the truck and…"

"Just run...They'll suck your blood. You'll end up one of them…." It was then that Scott made up his mind not to stick around. Stammering something incomprehensible, he darted past Declan and Miranda down the street, his professor's cries after him going unnoticed as he vanished around the corner.

Declan peered down the street where Scott retreated before turning back to his associate. "Miranda. Get in the truck."

"Declan…?"

"Just. Get in the truck." He grabbed her strongly by the arm as he opened up the door and pushed her inside, closing it safely behind her. Satisfied, he turned back to the battle, the girl fiercely kicking away before taking out a long piece of wood and slamming it through the guy's chest. Declan blinked as the man exploded into dust.

"Slayer." The other vamp hissed as he stood several feet away from her. She smiled coyly as she lunged towards him. He dodged her, sending her into the ground with strong punches before darting off down the street. The girl rose quickly, and dashed after the vampire, footsteps hard and fast as she was determined to catch her assailant.

Declan blinked and pushed up his glasses, turning back to the truck. "Did you see that?"

Miranda wound down the window. "I saw."

"That guy. He just turned to ash." Declan was totally taken with this as he pointed towards the where the guy fell. "What the hell was that?"

Miranda shrugged hopping from the truck and joining Declan at the site, sifting the pile of dust through his fingers. "Dust! The guy turned to dust!"

She too sifted the dust-like-substance through her fingers. "I suppose I'll get some samples. Don't touch it."

"Yeah. Good idea Miranda. Test the stuff." He said matter-of-factly as he stood up and looked around. Just like any other night. Or so he had thought just ten minutes ago. "What do you think it is?"

"Vampires?"

Declans voice was barely a whisper. "Vampires? Don't be stupid…."