Chapter 9


Damon left Willow's room, meeting Angel and Spike outside. Angel asked, "How is she?"

"She wanted to be left alone," Damon said quietly. He raked his fingers through his hair. "Spike, how close were she and Giles?"

"Close," Spike said grimly.

"Damn." Damon glanced at the door, then back at the two vampires. "We need you two to tell us all you can about him."

Spike nodded, but Angel remarked, "You may want to wait for Willow to do that."

Damon gave him a quizzical look, and he explained, "She knew him better than we did. She may be able to tell you more."

Damon nodded. "If she's willing."

At breakfast the next morning, Willow was silent. Keladree watched her worriedly as she picked at her food. Damon paused next to her, murmuring to her, and Willow nodded in response. Damon squeezed her shoulder then headed out of the dining hall. Fifteen minutes later, Ashton entered the dining hall. "There is a meeting in half an hour that you all need to attend," he said to the Slayers. They nodded.

Nora asked, "Is this regarding what Jordan, Keladree, and Willow ran into last night?"

Ashton nodded. "Yes, it does. Miss Rosenberg? Mr. Hunter would like to see you as soon as possible."

Willow nodded without looking up from her plate, saying softly, "I'll be there in a minute."

Ashton left. Willow pushed her food around her plate for a few more minutes then pushed her chair back and headed out of the dining hall and up to Hunter's office, knocking softly.

"Enter."

Willow opened the door and slipped in, closing it behind her. "You sent for me?"

Hunter looked up. "Yes, thank you Willow. If you don't mind, I'd like to speak with you."

"About Giles."

Hunter nodded, slightly surprised. Willow explained, "Angel gave me the heads up."

"I see." Hunter gestured to a chair. "Have a seat. I was hoping you wouldn't mind speaking with the Slayers about this—Giles."

"That's the meeting in half an hour?" Willow asked.

"Well, yes. If you weren't willing, Angel and Spike agreed to do it."

Willow nodded, looking down. "You have a pad of paper and a pen?"

"Pardon?" Hunter asked, nonplussed.

Willow explained, "I need to write things down. I don't think I could do it cold. There's an eight year history."

"Oh. Of course." Hunter opened his drawer and pulled out a pad of paper and a pen and slid them across the desk to Willow. "And thank you."

Willow glanced up at him, nodded, and asked, "Can I go?"

"Of course."

Willow got up and left, going to her room to order her thoughts.


Half an hour later, Willow sat in the conference room, waiting for her turn to speak.

Hunter went first, rising and facing the six Slayers, their Watchers, Angel, Spike, and several other Watchers. "Thank you for coming. Last night, we found out who the vampire known as Master is."

The other Watchers looked stunned. Micaela's Watcher demanded, "You did? Who is it?"

Hunter nodded to Willow. "That is what Miss Rosenberg is here to talk about. Miss Rosenberg?"

Willow stood up, looking around. "Hello. You mostly all know who I am—if you don't, I'm Willow Rosenberg. The vampire that's leading the others was once named Rupert Giles. He was Buffy's Watcher."

There were gasps, murmurings of shock. Willow looked down, cast Angel and Spike a glance, then squared her shoulders and went on.

"Mr. Hunter asked me to tell you about him, about what you're facing when you're dealing with him, so that's what I'm here to do." She swallowed hard. Chill Will—you are Giles now. Pretend you're him, talking about Angelus—without the drama maybe. Just another big bad.

"Giles is very intelligent. Obviously, he's perfectly aware of how Watchers and Slayers work. He was the Head of the Watcher's Council for—" She glanced at Angel, who said, "Fifteen years."

"For fifteen years. But there's something worse than that."

"Worse than a Watcher fighting the Council?" someone muttered.

"Yes," Willow said grimly. "When Giles was alive, as a teenager, he was known as Ripper. He had a darker side—mostly directed towards the protection of the people he loved while I knew him, but that combined with the demon inside makes Angelus look like a kitten."

"Oy," Keladree murmured. "That's bad."

"Yeah," Willow agreed. "So—we're dealing with a vampire that's cunning, knowledgeable, and is going to be hard to kill."

"So how do we kill him?" Jordan asked.

Willow looked at her for a minute, silent, her brow furrowed in confusion. Damon cleared his throat. "Willow? How do we kill him?"

Willow looked at him, looked at Spike and Angel, then shook her head. "I don't know."

Micaela snorted. "That is helpful. He is smart and dangerous, and apparently now impossible to kill."

"I didn't say that," Willow said quietly. "I just don't know how yet."

Nathan, Jordan's Watcher, inquired, "What should we expect then? He now knows that you are here. Will that change what he's doing? Step up his plan?"

Willow looked at him blankly. "Plan?"

"Yes, his plan. All vampires have a plan, whether it's to end the world or kill as many humans as possible." Nathan gave her a patient look.

Willow shrugged. "I doubt he'll change his plan much just because I'm here, since I don't think he plans on trying to end the world."

"So what is he doing?" Micaela's Watcher asked.

What is he doing? Willow wondered. "I'm not sure. Let me get back to you on that."

Willow sat down at Hunter's nod and listened as he asked, "Angel? Spike? Would you two like to add anything?"

The two vampires glanced at each other then shook their heads. "Not right now."

Hunter nodded. "All right then. Meeting's over."

Willow didn't move as everyone filed out. Hunter glanced at her. "That was slightly less forthcoming than I expected."

"Me too," Willow admitted. "But—there isn't a whole lot to say. Giles was smart, cunning, had a ruthless streak, and the idea of him as a vampire is just really scary."

The raised eyebrows reminded her of Giles and she looked away. "Give me some time to read through all the information and I'll see what I come up with."

Hunter sighed and nodded. "I suppose that's the best I can hope for."


Willow shut her door behind her and tossed her jacket on the bed with a muttered, "Damn it." She knew Hunter had expected more, but honestly—what was she supposed to say? Giles as a person was not the same as Giles as a vampire, anymore than knowing what Angel would do was the same as knowing what Angelus would do. Okay, so what would Ripper do?

That was a really good question. The better question—how to stop this? This couldn't go on—too many vampires and demons in the world. It wasn't supposed to be like this.

She looked out the window, surveying the street and the buildings. She didn't know what to do. You beat him once. Right—and she was proud of that? Doesn't matter—you can beat him again. Beating the heck out of him with magic won't work the same with a vampire as it did with a human. Your point?

She growled at her mind to shut up. Her mind replied that if she didn't figure this out, everyone was going to think she was useless.

She glanced at her hand, calling in a ball of light, and smiled. She wasn't useless.

Now how to kill Giles.