News
He never thought he would be thankful that airport security was so tight now. They had had to park the car about ½ mile away from the terminal. That was ½ mile that Buffy didn't have to drive and he didn't have to live through.
Spike stood there waiting on Buffy to come back from the information desk. She had gone to see if Gile's plane had landed yet. He finally saw her coming back.
"It's here already. Can you believe it? When does a flight actually get in early?"
"Well, where's old Rupert going to be coming from?"
"Gate E. The lady over there said it was this way." The two headed in the direction she had motioned.
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Giles was attempting to find his luggage. The clerk in London had insisted it was too big for the over head and he would have to check it. He had been watching bags come out of a little doggy door on a conveyer belt for 10 minutes and still hadn't seen his. This was ridiculous. He just hoped his luggage was at least somewhere in the same airport with him, not on it's way to Fiji.
Spike saw him first. He touched Buffy's arm and nodded his head in Gile's direction.
"Giles!" Buffy ran to him and hugged him as he dropped his luggage.
Spike stayed back a bit. Still unsure of the welcome he would receive. Giles noticed him and took the few steps that separated them and stuck out his hand.
"We owe you a great debt."
Spike could barely contain his satisfaction. Someone other than Buffy had acknowledged his sacrifice. Beaming with pride he took the offered hand.
As the two Englishmen greeted each other Buffy looked on somewhat surprised. She had expected Giles to wig a little. This was totally unexpected.
"I hate to interrupt this, well, not Kodak moment, but we need to get back to the hotel. We have to make plans as to where we go from here."
"Yes, well, I have some news. I thought I might tell you first. We can talk on the way. No need to discuss this right out in the open here."
They headed for the Desoto. Spike was sure to get in the driver's side. He couldn't take another driving lesson today.
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On the way back to the hotel
"Giles you have been totally secret about this news. What is it?"
"Well, as you know, we've been going through the remains of the council. They kept meticulous records."
"Yes, we all know. They were a bunch of librarians." This was so old news.
"They kept bank records as well. Who got what salary and such. Buffy, it's come to our attention that even after the loss of their headquarters the Council was worth in excess of 10 million dollars."
Silence
"Watcher, exactly what are you saying?" Now Spike was very interested.
"As the remaining watchers, Charles, Wesley and I, well, we inherit the council and all its assets."
"Giles you know I love you right." Buffy teased.
"Yes, well, Charles and I, we've decided to, as you Americans say, spread the wealth. Each slayer that works gets an endowment. You yourself will be paid retroactively from the time of your calling along with bonuses for each time you. ." Unimaginable how painful it still was to think of her death.
Buffy got it. She smiled and patted his hand resting on the back of her seat.
"Giles, I don't know what to say."
Spike on the other hand knew exactly what to say.
"Bout Bloody time." Only to be rewarded with a playful slap.
Giles couldn't help but chuckle to himself. He had said the exact thing to Charles when they had decided what to do with the money.
"So, Wesley knew about this too?" Now it was time to find out who else had been in on this little secret. It sucked being out of the loop.
"Well, yes Buffy. He did. As one of the three remaining watchers he has a say in how this is to be handled. He felt the same way we did and no, before you ask. Faith does not know either. You were to be the first told, seeing as how your endowment will be the greatest."
"Do I still have to patrol? I mean, I don't mind doing research and finding the other girls that are called, but I'd like to have some kind of normal that doesn't involve vampire dust and apocalypses." Especially if my test turns out positive. They had decided not to tell anyone else until it was certain and Dawn had promised not to spill. Which meant that by the time she took the test she would have an audience outside the bathroom door.
"I don't see why you would. With the number of girls currently working there should be no real need for you to continue your duties. We could even try and get some one else to find the girls for you if you like." It would be nice to see his slayer make it to retirement in one piece.
Finding the girls. Knew we needed to tell him something. Buffy squeezed Spike's hand he glanced her way and nodded.
"Giles, about finding the girls. We have a little help there. From the powers."
Giles looked on almost willing her to continue.
"Watcher I know where one is and we think after we find her that I'll know where the rest of them are as well."
"How could you possibly know?"
"Just do. All the info seems to be stuck in m' cranium. Right down to what she wears to workout in." That earned him a playful punch. He pretended to be hurt then gave a wink letting her know he was teasing.
"That is most interesting. About your . . well, your return. I have a few questions if you don't mind." Giles had made a mental list of what to ask if he got the chance.
"Well, ask away. Better get it quick, don't know how long I'll remember any of it. They said it would fade after a while."
"Should have known it wouldn't take long to get to the watcher stuff." Actually she had been surprised it had taken this long.
On the way back to the hotel Giles asked and Spike answered. Most of which Buffy had already heard. A few things she hadn't thought to ask about. This was going to be one dull ride.
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Willow's cell phone rang.
"Hello,"
"Hey Willow, it's Fred. Remember me?"
"Oh, yeah, hi how've you been?"
"We're good. Listen, Spike told Angel about Xander's eye."
Willow wasn't sure what to say to that.
"Angel made a few calls and set it up for him to see a doctor that works here."
Willow got up from the couch and headed for her room. Xander did not need to hear her telling someone else about his eye. He had just gotten passed it himself.
"Oh, Fred that would be nice, but there's nothing left of the eye. It was kind of mushed."
"Yeah, Spike said that. This doctor is kind of, well, ya know, special. He does things that no one else can." Fred really wasn't sure how much detail she needed to give. "He can give Xander a new eye."
Willow couldn't speak. This was just too good.
"Let me tell him and we'll get back to you."
Before Fred to say anything else, Willow hung up.
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Standing in front of his door, Willow raised a hand to knock.
"Xander are you in there?"
"Yeah Wils come on in." he was sitting on the bed, gameboy in hand.
"We need to talk."
"Your lookin kind of scary there Willow, what's up? There's not gonna be another apocalypse is there? Cause you know, we just survived one a few months ago and I'd like to cut down to just one a year."
Willow sat down on the bed next to him and took his hand. He was gonna be so happy about this.
He never thought he would be thankful that airport security was so tight now. They had had to park the car about ½ mile away from the terminal. That was ½ mile that Buffy didn't have to drive and he didn't have to live through.
Spike stood there waiting on Buffy to come back from the information desk. She had gone to see if Gile's plane had landed yet. He finally saw her coming back.
"It's here already. Can you believe it? When does a flight actually get in early?"
"Well, where's old Rupert going to be coming from?"
"Gate E. The lady over there said it was this way." The two headed in the direction she had motioned.
x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x. x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.
Giles was attempting to find his luggage. The clerk in London had insisted it was too big for the over head and he would have to check it. He had been watching bags come out of a little doggy door on a conveyer belt for 10 minutes and still hadn't seen his. This was ridiculous. He just hoped his luggage was at least somewhere in the same airport with him, not on it's way to Fiji.
Spike saw him first. He touched Buffy's arm and nodded his head in Gile's direction.
"Giles!" Buffy ran to him and hugged him as he dropped his luggage.
Spike stayed back a bit. Still unsure of the welcome he would receive. Giles noticed him and took the few steps that separated them and stuck out his hand.
"We owe you a great debt."
Spike could barely contain his satisfaction. Someone other than Buffy had acknowledged his sacrifice. Beaming with pride he took the offered hand.
As the two Englishmen greeted each other Buffy looked on somewhat surprised. She had expected Giles to wig a little. This was totally unexpected.
"I hate to interrupt this, well, not Kodak moment, but we need to get back to the hotel. We have to make plans as to where we go from here."
"Yes, well, I have some news. I thought I might tell you first. We can talk on the way. No need to discuss this right out in the open here."
They headed for the Desoto. Spike was sure to get in the driver's side. He couldn't take another driving lesson today.
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
On the way back to the hotel
"Giles you have been totally secret about this news. What is it?"
"Well, as you know, we've been going through the remains of the council. They kept meticulous records."
"Yes, we all know. They were a bunch of librarians." This was so old news.
"They kept bank records as well. Who got what salary and such. Buffy, it's come to our attention that even after the loss of their headquarters the Council was worth in excess of 10 million dollars."
Silence
"Watcher, exactly what are you saying?" Now Spike was very interested.
"As the remaining watchers, Charles, Wesley and I, well, we inherit the council and all its assets."
"Giles you know I love you right." Buffy teased.
"Yes, well, Charles and I, we've decided to, as you Americans say, spread the wealth. Each slayer that works gets an endowment. You yourself will be paid retroactively from the time of your calling along with bonuses for each time you. ." Unimaginable how painful it still was to think of her death.
Buffy got it. She smiled and patted his hand resting on the back of her seat.
"Giles, I don't know what to say."
Spike on the other hand knew exactly what to say.
"Bout Bloody time." Only to be rewarded with a playful slap.
Giles couldn't help but chuckle to himself. He had said the exact thing to Charles when they had decided what to do with the money.
"So, Wesley knew about this too?" Now it was time to find out who else had been in on this little secret. It sucked being out of the loop.
"Well, yes Buffy. He did. As one of the three remaining watchers he has a say in how this is to be handled. He felt the same way we did and no, before you ask. Faith does not know either. You were to be the first told, seeing as how your endowment will be the greatest."
"Do I still have to patrol? I mean, I don't mind doing research and finding the other girls that are called, but I'd like to have some kind of normal that doesn't involve vampire dust and apocalypses." Especially if my test turns out positive. They had decided not to tell anyone else until it was certain and Dawn had promised not to spill. Which meant that by the time she took the test she would have an audience outside the bathroom door.
"I don't see why you would. With the number of girls currently working there should be no real need for you to continue your duties. We could even try and get some one else to find the girls for you if you like." It would be nice to see his slayer make it to retirement in one piece.
Finding the girls. Knew we needed to tell him something. Buffy squeezed Spike's hand he glanced her way and nodded.
"Giles, about finding the girls. We have a little help there. From the powers."
Giles looked on almost willing her to continue.
"Watcher I know where one is and we think after we find her that I'll know where the rest of them are as well."
"How could you possibly know?"
"Just do. All the info seems to be stuck in m' cranium. Right down to what she wears to workout in." That earned him a playful punch. He pretended to be hurt then gave a wink letting her know he was teasing.
"That is most interesting. About your . . well, your return. I have a few questions if you don't mind." Giles had made a mental list of what to ask if he got the chance.
"Well, ask away. Better get it quick, don't know how long I'll remember any of it. They said it would fade after a while."
"Should have known it wouldn't take long to get to the watcher stuff." Actually she had been surprised it had taken this long.
On the way back to the hotel Giles asked and Spike answered. Most of which Buffy had already heard. A few things she hadn't thought to ask about. This was going to be one dull ride.
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Willow's cell phone rang.
"Hello,"
"Hey Willow, it's Fred. Remember me?"
"Oh, yeah, hi how've you been?"
"We're good. Listen, Spike told Angel about Xander's eye."
Willow wasn't sure what to say to that.
"Angel made a few calls and set it up for him to see a doctor that works here."
Willow got up from the couch and headed for her room. Xander did not need to hear her telling someone else about his eye. He had just gotten passed it himself.
"Oh, Fred that would be nice, but there's nothing left of the eye. It was kind of mushed."
"Yeah, Spike said that. This doctor is kind of, well, ya know, special. He does things that no one else can." Fred really wasn't sure how much detail she needed to give. "He can give Xander a new eye."
Willow couldn't speak. This was just too good.
"Let me tell him and we'll get back to you."
Before Fred to say anything else, Willow hung up.
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Standing in front of his door, Willow raised a hand to knock.
"Xander are you in there?"
"Yeah Wils come on in." he was sitting on the bed, gameboy in hand.
"We need to talk."
"Your lookin kind of scary there Willow, what's up? There's not gonna be another apocalypse is there? Cause you know, we just survived one a few months ago and I'd like to cut down to just one a year."
Willow sat down on the bed next to him and took his hand. He was gonna be so happy about this.