Turning the Tables
Part 14
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SUNNYDALE HIGH LIBRARY
Giles picked up the phone and dialed.
"Yes…this is Rupert Giles. I'm calling to inquire about the Watcher you were supposed to have sent for the new Slayer. You did? Well he must have…he checked in when he arrived here? No, I haven't seen him. That's why I'm calling. Yes. Well, call me if he contacts you again." He hung up with a puzzled sigh.
The Watcher's Council had sent a Watcher…top of his class at the Academy. He called to report he was in Sunnydale and hadn't been heard from since. Where could he have gone to?
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SUNNY HEIGHTS APARTMENT COMPLEX (Second Bedroom)
"Say pretty please…"
"P-pretty p-please…" Wesley coughed. Willow circled the glass of water around his head, admiring her handiwork. He was covered in burns and cuts. Plus she had turned his hair pink. Even if the spell was supposed to make his eyeballs melt…
"I don't know…are you sure you're thirsty?"
"Y-y-yes…" his throat was so dry he could barely speak.
"Oh. All right then. Here we go," she pulled the nightstand over, letting the lamp on top of it crash to the floor. She placed it about a foot in front of his bound body and set the glass on top of it, "Help yourself."
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SUNNYDALE HIGH LIBRARY
"No. They can't be serious," Giles fell back into his chair, memo still clutched in his hand, "This is ludicrous!"
"Lead us well, Kemo Sabe." Xander quipped.
"This is hardly a laughing matter, Xander!"
"Yes, master," he bowed dramatically. Giles chose to ignore him.
"Substitute principal? What in the world were they thinking?"
"Come on Giles, you wield the mighty power of knowledge," Giles shot Xander a look and he shrugged, "Everyone else was too scared on account of the Snyder-kabobs?"
"Most likely. Trust than horrid man to plague me even from beyond the grave!"
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SLAYER TRAINING AREA
Faith jabbed at the punching bag fiercely. She would beat Buffy…she knew she would. She had to. It had just been her duty before. Now that she knew Buffy was once the Slayer…now it was personal. That vampire had taken a Slayer and made her like him. It was horrible. She was going to put Buffy out of her misery.
"Just you wait, girl. I'm coming for you."
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SUNNY HEIGHTS (Master Bedroom)
"I'm bored."
"Well now, that stings," Spike commented and tightened his hold around her. She rolled her eyes.
"Not with you. With Sunnydale. There's nothing left here for me…why are we still here?"
"It is the Hellmouth, pet. It's sort of a traditional vamp hang-out."
"Screw tradition. I wanna see the world Spike. Europe, Asia, everything!"
"I think that could be arranged." Buffy smiled and snuggled closer to him.
"We'll just wrap up business here and we'll be off."
"What kind of business might that be?"
"I want to go out with a bang…the denizens of Sunnydale are not going to forget Buffy Summers."
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SUNNYDAYLE PUBLIC LIBRARY (Construction Site)
Giles was surprised when he discovered where he was. He had meant to head straight home after an exasperating day of substitute principaling…but his feet had taken him here. Walking under the large metal beams he discovered his second surprise. Buffy was seated on the dirt, wearing a long white gown. Her head was down.
Giles pulled a stake out of his jacket but still stood spellbound. What would she be doing here? Could it possibly be the same thing he was doing? But vampires were incapable of feeling emotions such as grief or loss. Weren't they? Maybe…maybe she's special. Maybe her Slayer powers preserved part of her soul…he thought feverishly.
"Buffy?" He called before he could stop himself. In one fluid motion she rose and turned. Her face was sad, a stream of tears running slowly down each cheek.
"I loved her, Giles. Even now…I still loved her."
"I know you did. But she was evil…there was nothing I could have done." Buffy sighed.
"I know, Giles. I know you did what you had to. But still…" His heart leapt. She wasn't gone. She was Buffy. Still Buffy…
"It's still you in there, isn't it Buffy?" He whispered. She looked into his eyes and slowly smiled.
"I think maybe it is."
"Oh god, Buffy," they both walked forward. He embraced her tightly, "It's you Buffy…it's really truly you…" Slowly they pulled back. Buffy's eyes flickered.
"No…sorry," she smiled again, but this was a demonic smile befitting a vampire, "It really truly isn't."
In the still night, she was the only one who could hear the sickening crack of a snapping neck.
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o.O R/R