TWO
"And he didn't say who he was?" asked Giles after Buffy had explained what had happened.
"Not a word," said Buffy. "Just that he's some sort of supernatural Watcher and that he was going to guide me to a new destiny. Then, poof, he's just not there any more."
"Any of you guys go poof?" asked Xander, sitting near the window.
"Not that I'm aware of," said Giles. "Watchers are mortal. To my knowledge there has never been a Watcher with supernatural powers. At least, not normally. The magic I used was borrowed from some friends and then only for a short time."
"Maybe it has something to do with what I felt," said Willow.
"You felt something?" asked Buffy.
"Yes," said Giles. "We were discussing it while you were out. Willow has felt a powerful magic somewhere near San Francisco. Her connection to the Earth is really quite remarkable."
"San Francisco?" questioned Buffy. "Does it have anything to do with Piper, Phoebe and Paige?"
"The Charmed Ones?" Willow asked. "I don't know. But somehow I don't think so. It just suddenly appeared like it came out of nowhere. I think whatever it was it was masking itself. That's why I can't get a fix on it."
"Then how do you even know it's there?" asked Dawn.
"I can feel it," said Willow. "It's moved now. I'm not sure where. Somewhere north I think. Toward Los Angeles."
Buffy didn't say anything. Los Angeles was the home of Angel. Their last couple of meetings hadn't gone very well. And now that he was involved with Wolfram and Hardt, things were getting more complicated.
"We need to decide on a course of action," said Giles. "I know we agreed to take some time and evaluate our options. But if this being you met was telling the truth the power that Willow sensed might be part of it."
"If he was telling the truth," said Dawn.
"How do we find out?" asked Xander. "We can't exactly look up supernatural Watchers in the yellow pages."
"First, I check out the guy he told me about," said Buffy. "It's starting to get dark. If that guy is a werewolf, someone could get killed tonight. After that, we'll see."
"Just be careful," said Giles. "As you're aware, werewolves are different from most demons you've faced. They react purely on instinct. And that instinct is to kill anyone they come across."
"Not to worry," said Buffy, opening a drawer to one of the dressers. She pulled out a silver-colored stake. "I kept a few souvenirs from Sunnydale. I thought they might come in handy. If this guy is a werewolf, this should take care of him nicely."
"You want me to go with you?" asked Willow.
"No," said Buffy. "I need you to stay here. In case my new friend shows up while I'm gone. This may all be a ploy to get me away so he can get to one of you. I can handle one werewolf."
"Be careful all the same," said Giles. "You aren't invincible."
"I will," said Buffy heading for the door. "While I'm gone, why don't you see if you can figure out who this Restin is? If I knew what he is it might help me figure out if he's a good guy or a bad guy."
Buffy left the room and headed for the economy motel down the road. As she did, Giles pulled out his books and began to look through them. In truth, he really wasn't sure exactly where to start.
"And he didn't say who he was?" asked Giles after Buffy had explained what had happened.
"Not a word," said Buffy. "Just that he's some sort of supernatural Watcher and that he was going to guide me to a new destiny. Then, poof, he's just not there any more."
"Any of you guys go poof?" asked Xander, sitting near the window.
"Not that I'm aware of," said Giles. "Watchers are mortal. To my knowledge there has never been a Watcher with supernatural powers. At least, not normally. The magic I used was borrowed from some friends and then only for a short time."
"Maybe it has something to do with what I felt," said Willow.
"You felt something?" asked Buffy.
"Yes," said Giles. "We were discussing it while you were out. Willow has felt a powerful magic somewhere near San Francisco. Her connection to the Earth is really quite remarkable."
"San Francisco?" questioned Buffy. "Does it have anything to do with Piper, Phoebe and Paige?"
"The Charmed Ones?" Willow asked. "I don't know. But somehow I don't think so. It just suddenly appeared like it came out of nowhere. I think whatever it was it was masking itself. That's why I can't get a fix on it."
"Then how do you even know it's there?" asked Dawn.
"I can feel it," said Willow. "It's moved now. I'm not sure where. Somewhere north I think. Toward Los Angeles."
Buffy didn't say anything. Los Angeles was the home of Angel. Their last couple of meetings hadn't gone very well. And now that he was involved with Wolfram and Hardt, things were getting more complicated.
"We need to decide on a course of action," said Giles. "I know we agreed to take some time and evaluate our options. But if this being you met was telling the truth the power that Willow sensed might be part of it."
"If he was telling the truth," said Dawn.
"How do we find out?" asked Xander. "We can't exactly look up supernatural Watchers in the yellow pages."
"First, I check out the guy he told me about," said Buffy. "It's starting to get dark. If that guy is a werewolf, someone could get killed tonight. After that, we'll see."
"Just be careful," said Giles. "As you're aware, werewolves are different from most demons you've faced. They react purely on instinct. And that instinct is to kill anyone they come across."
"Not to worry," said Buffy, opening a drawer to one of the dressers. She pulled out a silver-colored stake. "I kept a few souvenirs from Sunnydale. I thought they might come in handy. If this guy is a werewolf, this should take care of him nicely."
"You want me to go with you?" asked Willow.
"No," said Buffy. "I need you to stay here. In case my new friend shows up while I'm gone. This may all be a ploy to get me away so he can get to one of you. I can handle one werewolf."
"Be careful all the same," said Giles. "You aren't invincible."
"I will," said Buffy heading for the door. "While I'm gone, why don't you see if you can figure out who this Restin is? If I knew what he is it might help me figure out if he's a good guy or a bad guy."
Buffy left the room and headed for the economy motel down the road. As she did, Giles pulled out his books and began to look through them. In truth, he really wasn't sure exactly where to start.
