Disclaimers: Mutant Enemy and Joss Whedon own it all. I'm just doing this for fun, and hopefully entertainment
Reviews: Welcomed and appreciated
I was very disappointed with my last two chapters, the story just wasn't going in the direction I had first anticipated. So, I rewrote them and I think I am back on track, hope you agree. I apologize that this has gone on for so long, I never intended for so many chapters to be written, but once I got started it seemed to take on a life of its own. I am planning on concluding this one in five or six more chapters. Hope your patience holds out.
"Yes Quentin, I quite understand." Giles paused, looking over at Jenny with a worried furrow on his brow. "Well, that is your prerogative, isn't it…I'm sure he'll contact you once we've touched base…Yes, right." He hung up the phone, not sure what to do.
"Rupert, what did they say?" Jenny was worried for both Rupert and Buffy. She had heard about the Watchers Council and to say they were ruthless was more than an understatement.
"It could well be over for Buffy and I. The new watcher is in town, has been for a few days, and has already sent several reports back to Travers and the council. It doesn't look good. And should he find out about Buffy…well I hate to hazard a guess at what their reaction will be." He hung his head as he sat next to her.
"Buffy can take care of herself and Angel will cover her back. And there's Spike and Willow, too. I think the bases are covered Rupert." She tried to sound sure of herself, but she had her doubts as well. The stories she had heard about the special unit of watchers, sort of a black ops group, sent shivers up her spine. They were reputed to be merciless and if the stories were true, a few slayers of past had lost their lives to something other than the supposed forces of evil.
Giles looked at her. "Yes, you've undoubtedly heard the stories."
"I didn't say a word Rupert." She tired to smile at him.
"You didn't need to." He stood up and looked at his watch. "Angel and Buffy should be over soon, they were going to the Bronze tonight. The first time since it all happened. It's good that they had a fun evening out, although I am quite sure the new watcher is sending a report home about that indiscretion."
"So Wyndam-Pryce, what is it exactly that the council wants to know?" Rupert Giles had his back to the new watcher as he poured his third scotch, straight up. The young man had shown up on Giles' doorsteps not more than a half an hour after he left the Bronze. Wesley felt righteous indignation at the slayer's behavior and felt it best to confront her watcher with his many discoveries.
"Well Mr. Giles," Wesley removed his notebook from his breast pocket and began to recite his litany of infractions. "…and in conclusion Mr. Giles, to allow this mere child to move in with her older boyfriend is beyond reprehensible." Wesley Wyndam-Pryce had been droning on for the past 45 minutes about all the mistakes he and his slayer had made.
Giles threw back his fifth scotch, not really feeling any of them, and turned to face the younger man. "I see Mr. Wyndam-Pryce. This girl you speak of, this clay that needs to be molded, she risks her life on a nightly basis. Her mother, deciding her daughter must chose between her or her calling, basically deserted her when she chose to keep saving humanity. She dropped out of school, oh yes you don't know about that one do you? Might want to add that to your list." Maybe he did have one scotch too many. "She left her schoolmates because her nights were filled with battling evil and she could barely stay awake for her morning classes. And naturally her principal just thought she was a trouble maker not worth trying to save." He downed one more glassful, much to Wesley's discomfort along with the emotional outburst the elder watcher was bestowing upon him. "And even if I didn't entirely agree with her choice in men, and yes he is a man, how could I deny her a bit of happiness in what she considers to be a very short life?" Giles took another deep breath and continued. "So, old man, if you think you and the council can come in here and tell me how to train my slayer, and yes I did say my slayer, you will have quite a fight on your hands."
There was a cough from the door, bringing both watchers' eyes to the slight young woman at the front door and the large man standing beside her. "And believe me Mr. Watcher Jr., my watcher won't be fighting alone." Buffy had been standing there, listening to Giles with a gleam in her eye. She looked up at Angel. "Isn't he great?"
"Yeah" Angel looked at the elder watcher with a mix of admiration and jealousy, "so what do we do with this one?" Angel was on the verge of pulling the prigs head off.
Giles lifted his hand to stay the possessive vampire, "Nothing. This has to be his decision. You do something to this wanker, they'll just send someone else. They'll send more." He looked over at Wesley. "Give us a chance to explain our side, our life, and then decide. You haven't been in the trenches, so to speak. Give my slayer a chance."
Buffy looked over at Giles. Well, she thought, no time like the present. She walked over to Wyndam-Pryce and laid her had on his. "Wesley Wyndam-Pryce, I would like you to meet my…husband Angelus, formerly the scourge of Europe."
Wesley's eyes widened and his head pivoted between Giles and Buffy, finally settling on Angelus, whose half smile sent him flopping down on the nearest chair. Feeling faint, he thought, not now. Now is not the time to show weakness, now is not the time to faint.
"I…I…I…" He couldn't seem to articulate as it suddenly dawned on him just how cold Buffy's hand was. He looked up at her face, it was a lovely face, but devoid of the healthy glow one would associate with a California native. "Oh my god!"
She chuckled. "For being a watcher you really don't see very well, do you?" Buffy released his hand and went back to stand besides Angel.
With a somewhat unsteady gaze, Wesley looked to his fellow countryman, "Mr. Giles, please. What's going on here?"
Giles sighed and looked over at his slayer and her mate. Running a hand over his face, he took a seat across from the younger man. "Where to start?"
Leading Buffy to an armchair, Angelus sat down pulling her onto his lap. "I'd say about 7 months ago, Acathla?"
"Yes, indeed." Giles sat across from the younger watcher. "Remember the Acathla report?" With that he began and poured both of them a fresh glass.
In what seemed hours later, Wesley took a sip from his still half full glass of scotch, wincing at the taste. "So, instead of letting her die, you decided to bring her back as a vampire? Didn't you think she might despise you for that?"
Angel shrugged. "You obviously have never been in love boy. Ask me that question if you ever are."
"So, Wesley." Giles had become tired of using his full sir name and resorted to addressing him by his first. "What are you going to do?"
"Mr. Giles, this is unprecedented." He looked over at Buffy, "I can only imagine how incredibly strong you are Miss Summers, but if the council knows of this…well it could only be a huge help in our fight against evil. And the fact that you have turned one of history's greatest villains into a champion of the down-trodden, well Mr. Giles, I really don't see how you can think of keeping this from the council." The enthusiasm on his face was almost endearing to Giles, almost.
"Are you really that naïve Wyndam-Pryce? Do you really think the council will let Buffy live? Or for that matter, you or me? They'll send special ops in here and they'll do all they can to wipe us out. You know the truth now. You know that slayers do not lose their souls. That they become stronger than ever imagined. These girls aren't meant for independence Wyndam-Pryce. They are meant to be controlled, ruled, subjugated until they die in combat or until the council thinks they are no longer of use as a slayer." Giles shook his head in disgust.
"I think you are quite mistaken Mr. Giles. We, as members of the council, would never do such indescribable things to these girls who risk so much for the good of us all. Never." Wesley was outraged that a fellow watcher could possible think such things.
Angelus chuckled. "Just how long have you been a watcher? Wait, just how old are you? Because to be honest, it's unbelievable to me that you've been battling demons with Pollyanna attitude."
Giles looked at the younger watcher suspiciously. "Yes, Wyndam-Pryce. Just what are your credentials? Besides having the title of watcher, that is. Have you done much work in the field?"
"Well, umm" Wesley cleared his throat and straightened his tie. "I've actually done most of my work in the research department. I am quite an authority on Sunnydale and Hellmouth activity. As for slayer history, if it's been documented I've read it." He shifted uncomfortably at the incredulous look on Giles face and the look of amused superiority on the two vampires.
"Have you ever even staked a vampire?" Buffy was fighting the urge to laugh.
"I have indeed. During training, I dare say I had to deal with two vampires. Not at once, mind you, but yes, never-the-less. I…I…have. Yes, indeed." Wesley was feeling very out of his element.
"Good god man! You've only face vampires during training sessions at headquarters? You've never faced real world confrontations? What were they thinking sending you to the Hellmouth?" Giles shook his head.
"Wow." Buffy couldn't help but giggle. "A total newbie. We could send him out with Xander, he could show him the ropes." She looked up to Angel, who shrugged and rolled his eyes.
Finding his voice and his outrage, Wesley spoke up. "Excuse me. But my job here isn't to battle demons." Looking straight at Buffy. "That would be your job, young lady. My purpose here is to determine if Mr. Giles is the right man to be training you."
"Giles does a fine job with training Buffy. As do I. You need to get clued in on what life on the Hellmouth is all about. Until you do, until you see what kind of challenges a slayer has to deal with and still survive, you can't really judge what kind of a watcher is right for her. This isn't the Boxer Rebellion my boy. It's the 20th century and woman live different lives. They know more and they want more. Surely you've heard about the 'have-it-all' generation." Angelus put his arm around Buffy. "You learn what we're up against, what Buff is up against and then you can decide her fate and we'll deal with what ever your kind sends our way."
Looking directly at Wesley, Buffy rolled her eyes. "I swear I must have the two most macho guys around, but I really can speak for myself." Buffy walked over to stand in front of him. "Are you going to see if I'm worthy to still be a slayer or are you filing a report that I was turned?"
"I shant be filing the report. Yet. Impress me Miss Summers and perhaps I won't need to." Wesley held his nose in the air as he spoke, regaining a bit of his composure.
"Oh Wesley, You'll be impressed. Believe me, you'll be so impressed." She held her hand out to her lover. "Come on babe, let's go home and get a good days' sleep, we have a new watcher to take on patrol tomorrow night."