Disclaimer: I own nothing below except the plot. All characters, locations, and concepts are owned under their respective copyrights.

Spoilers and Timeline: Buffy up to season 2 "Passion"

Only Two

Chapter 2

Giles awoke with the feeling of an inexplicable grief and shock. His sleep was haunted by dreams of a smirking and laughing Angelus, of fire, of his Slayer being utterly furious at both him and the vampire, and the cold, still, and dead eyes of the woman he cared about. Along with the feelings, he was aware that his body felt like he had been in a fight, it wasn't pain, just a dull ache in various places. He was also tired, as if he had not slept at all.

His dreams and feelings were unfounded as he turned and observed the woman sleeping next to him. She was on her side and under the covers of his bed. After they had revoked the invitation to his apartment, they had cleaned up the bit of theater Angelus had set for Giles. There were still rose petals in the apartment, but they were swept off of the stairs and were mostly out-of-the-way. Giles had shown Jenny the sketch that Angelus had made of her. Her reaction was swift and sure. She had snatched it from him, and took a lighter to it in the kitchen sink and burned it up. She didn't think much of how Angelus depicted her own death, and didn't want to be reminded of it.

Giles had been reluctant to return to his bed. He had been as good as his word, he told Jenny it was not his intention to have a romantic rendezvous last night. He offered to sleep on the couch. He also didn't want to sleep where Jenny's corpse had been so artfully placed. She had the same reservations, and had said as much, but she didn't want to sleep alone, the terror and relief of the previous night forcing a need for human contact, one that was caring as opposed to murderous. Giles didn't take that much convincing, he was loath to let her out of his sight, even though he knew they were both safe.

He moved over to her, she had changed out of her dress into some clothes of hers that Giles had kept from one of their earlier dates. He speculated that she would want to get rid of that particular dress, given that her death had occurred while she was wearing it, though her resurrection had also happened in it, so maybe he was wrong. He ran a hand along her forehead, brushing hair away from her eyes, he had this strong urge to see them open. To know that his dreams were just that, and that he had really brought her back. He was rewarded when her eyes fluttered open.

He was further elated when she mumbled "R-Rupert?" as she turned to look at him noticing the expression on his face, as if he was seeing something he had not before "What's going on, are you okay?"

Giles wiped the sleep from his eyes as he sat up "Yes and no, sorry Jenny, I had a terrible night, I didn't get much sleep, I kept having nightmares."

Jenny mirrored his movements "And you wanted to make sure they weren't real? It's alright, but your going to have to tell me about the spell you used. You don't just bring someone back from the dead without it coming back on you. I bet these dreams were a part of that."

Giles smiled, even after just waking up and rumpled, Jenny was still beautiful "I learned of it at the Watcher's Academy, and this was my first time using it. Its foundation is that it can transfer injury and pain. The man who taught it to me warned that it was dangerous. I thought it would kill me as it brought you back. I wrote a number of notes, I was remiss in not calling anyone, Buffy, for instance."

Jenny gasped in shock "Rupert, my 'injury' killed me, why would you even try something like that? You're a silly man sometimes, notes, really, was the phone too high-tech for you?"

Giles smiled and sighed "Jenny, last night you said I didn't need to say anything. It appears that I do need to say something. Jenny, when you told me that you had fallen in love with me, I wanted to tell you I felt the same." She smiled and kissed him in response, after he had gathered his wits he continued "When I saw you on my bed, with that lifeless stare, something within me broke, I intended to attack and kill or be killed by Angelus. Honestly, I expected the latter. It didn't occur to me that there was anyone who needed me, even Buffy, after you were gone."

Jenny looked at him with a new respect "If anybody knows how dangerous Angelus is, it's me, I was raised on his cruelty, and last night he played with me, oh I thought I could get away, but it was all useless. I can only imagine a fight between the two of you, I think you would do well, but I think you'd need help to actually win." He scoffed but nodded and Jenny went on "So, at some point you decided magic was a better option than a kamikaze run at a bunch of vampires?"

Giles nodded again "Yes, now I must go make some calls, I'll leave you to get ready, we have a rather long day ahead of us."

Jenny stood up and stretched "Alright, but you will tell me what were going to do?" At his nod she said "Then get going."

After he left she glanced around the room, she remembered a piece of paper on the bed before they went to sleep, she found it on the floor and unfolded it. As she read it, she was struck by the consideration he put into each thought. He even seemed to know she was attacked for a specific reason, and it was as if she could hear his voice when she read his plea that she look after Buffy and her friends, he wrote with a bittersweet sentiment, sad that he was leaving, but with a grim levity that he was restoring something that should never have been taken away. Jenny felt a wellspring of emotion well up within her, he had written a last goodbye, and he had written it to her 'Oh, Rupert...' with that thought she got up, placed the note on the bedside table, and went to the bathroom to get ready for the day ahead, she would make sure to keep the note, treasure it even. Her thoughts kept coming back to what he was willing to sacrifice, and she resolved to see that the note was never made necessary.

Below, in the kitchen, Giles was on the phone, in the middle of the first of a number of calls he had to make that day "Yes, Mr. Snyder, neither Ms. Calendar or I can come into work today. Please arrange substitutes for the both of us." He ignored the man's ranting about undependable teachers, but his attention was brought back into focus when Snyder mentioned the destruction in the computer lab.

The Principal made the connection "Is that why you two aren't coming in, was there a gang attack?"

Giles agreed "Yes, indeed there was, Ms. Calendar was injured, and I tended to her." Giles was aware of the rationalizations of the citizens of Sunnydale had for vampire and demon attacks. He would use it in this case. What he didn't know, was that Principal Snyder was well aware of the supernatural, and he figured the computer teacher was attacked by something of that sort, given the destruction. Both men knew the truth, though neither knew that the other did, and each of them thought they were fooling the other.

Snyder gave his assent "In that case, I'll cancel her classes for the day, while I have the room cleared. Will you two be in tomorrow Mr. Giles?"

Giles said "Yes, certainly, goodbye Mr. Snyder." He hung up the phone and thought about what Jenny had went through last night. Was she killed in the lab itself or was she able to run? It didn't help, obviously, if she had run he imagined the fear she must have experienced 'Jenny...' he wiped at his eyes, he hadn't yet put his glasses on. His own thoughts on the woman upstairs prompted the next call.

He dialed an international number, when his call was answer he said quickly "Put me through to Quentin Travers, immediately, if you please."

Travers voice came over the line "This is Travers, with whom am I speaking?"

Giles sighed, he was not looking forward to this, but he had to do it, and then he spoke clearly "Mr. Travers, This is Rupert Giles in Sunnydale, the Hellmouth, and we have a situation here. I am requesting an official transfer of council resources to this town with all dispatch."

Travers snorted "Mr. Giles, your Slayer is still alive, what situation could justify the allocation of more personnel to the area."

Giles was ready for this question, "Quentin, three out of four members of the Whirlwind family of vampires are in this town and active, including the Scourge of Europe himself."

Travers was taken aback "Good god, man, how long have they been active?"

Giles smiled, he knew Travers couldn't ignore a threat of that magnitude "Angelus didn't arrive in town until a few weeks ago, Spike and Drusilla were already present when he appeared."

Travers was ashen-faced "And you're only calling now, are you daft, why did you wait?

Giles responded "I was under the impression that my Slayer and I could handle the situation, but we have both been compromised. My Slayer had a friend that was taken by Angelus, and as you know I work at a school, and Angelus murdered one of my colleagues and tried to frame me for the crime. We can no longer approach the situation with any objectivity. We are unable to contain, let alone end, the threat."

Travers slumped in his chair "Mr. Giles, what do you need?"

Giles returned "Mr. Travers, I need the Slayer Kendra and her Watcher sent to this town as soon as possible? Also, I need a researcher, someone who could assume the duties of a field Watcher should the need arise."

Travers began issuing orders to his subordinates before responding to Giles "Rupert, an additional Slayer does seem appropriate, however, Mr. Zabuto is more valuable in his current post. We will assign a potential slayer to him. He is a superb trainer after all. Why do you need a researcher?"

Giles knew this wouldn't go over well "You know of Professor Allen, correct?"

Travers scoffed "The crackpot, yes I do know and detest his opinion of the relationship between Watcher and Slayer, why?"

Giles said "I used one of his methods, That's why I asked for a possible replacement, I am unsure about the outcome of the spell."

Travers was seething internally, but remained calm "Right than, is there anything else you need, I could have a Direct Operations team there rather quickly. They would aid you greatly, I should think."

Giles was surprised, he hadn't expected this level of coöperation, he and the head of the council had never been the most amicable of colleagues. "Not at this time, no. I would like to put in place a Trip-wire protocol, if I should succumb to my actions, I want a mobilization of the Council's operatives, I want the vampire activity in this town to be dealt with, utterly and completely. There is a woman, her name is Jenny Calendar, she knows who I am, I am going to give her your number, if she calls you, that will mean I can't. I want that to be the trigger."

Travers considered that request for but a moment "Mr. Giles, your protocol is approved, tell this Calendar woman that the password is 'Trafalgar.' She is to use that to tell me of your demise. I will then start the mobilization, I give you my word Mr. Giles, we will do what you wish, we will exhaust every resource to make sure that the Hellmouth is rendered safe, on that note the researcher and the other Slayer will arrive within 48 hours. Mr. Giles, I wish you the best of luck."

Giles would have cheered if he were somebody else, as it was he said "I appreciate it sir, I hope the protocol is not needed, but just in case and all that." With that he hung up. He looked up to see Jenny leaning against the wall just outside the kitchen, watching him, she had changed back into her dress from yesterday, the look on her now clean face suggested she was aware of her role in his business with the council. "Jenny, should something happen to me, I want you to call this number." He handed her a scrap of paper with the number. "And say Trafalgar to the man on the phone."

Jenny almost laughed "Really England, is that a code word?" At his nod she continued "Rupert, I read the note you left for me upstairs, how did you know I was working on something special?"

Giles moved into the living room and sat down on the couch, Jenny followed him sat on the other end "Angelus killed you Jenny, why?"

Jenny said softly "I was working on the restoration ritual for Angel's soul, I had it translated and everything, and he destroyed the computer and burned the printouts, I guess he thought killing me would make sure his soul never came back. What I want to know is how he learned what I was doing in the first place."

Giles moved closer to her "One of Angelus' companions, Drusilla, is somewhat of a seer. Once you started to act to give Angelus his soul back, she was most probably aware of your intentions, I am so sorry Jenny." he sighed this last as he imagined again what last night was like for her.

Noticing the change, Jenny stroked his cheek "What for, Rupert?"

Giles caught her hand and kissed it "I should have stayed with you last night, maybe if I was there..."

Jenny moved and hugged him and held him "Rupert, had you stayed, Angel would have killed us both. Think about what you went through when you saw my body, now imagine what Angel would have shown Buffy with both of us. But you didn't stay, and now we're here, and that means I have good news about Angel's soul."

Giles came out of his self-flagellation and the horrific images Jenny had caused to appear, and he asked "Good news, how do you mean?"

Jenny let him go "Angel didn't destroy everything, I saved the program and the curse to a disk, now as I was running for my life last night, I left it on my desk. All that we need to do is have access to a computer, get an Orb of Thesulah, and go get the disk, and we'll have everything we need to give Angel his soul back."

Giles questioned "An Orb of Thesulah?"

Jenny answered "Yeah, Angel destroyed the one I bought."

Giles snickered "You know, I bought one last year, I wanted to decorate my office and thought it would make an appropriate paperweight."

Jenny smiled in turn "Rupert, what are we waiting for, let's go already and get this done."

Giles expression shifted suddenly to one of concern "Jenny, as far as Angelus knows, he killed you, I want him to keep thinking that as long as long as possible, I want you to stay here and have others act on your behalf, If he finds out you're alive, I dread to think on what he will do, and I can't...I couldn't..." his unspoken thought was 'stand to lose you again.'

Jenny looked at the man beside her, she saw the same earnestness in his face as she had in the note she had read earlier, she knew, somewhat at least, what he was thinking, she moved to kiss him, to give him the reassurance he obviously needed. Their lips had barely brushed against each other when their was a loud knocking at the door. In fact the knocking was so forceful that it was shaking the door and its frame. Giles moved to the door and opened it.

He saw two familiar figures "Ah, Buffy, Xander, what brings you here?"

They pushed their way past him, ignoring his muttered and sarcastic "Please, do come in" and they saw Ms. Calendar on the couch. They turned and took in Giles' still disheveled appearance.

Buffy spoke first "Um... Giles, 'hello', we were worried, you're never not at work, we're always like 'let's go to the library' and talk slayage, and you're a big part of that. Besides, with Angel running around acting all psycho, we thought maybe something had happened. And then Xander mentioned that you calling in sick was an apocalyps-y sign, it's not one right, I mean I know it's the hellmouth but sheesh, you'd think we'd catch a break."

Giles felt a headache coming on, he was not quite ready for the onslaught of Buffy prattle "Buffy, something did happen, we are all fine, however, and it's just that Ms. Calendar and I had an important discussion, and I couldn't make it in today."

Xander looked at both Giles and Ms. Calendar, misplaced comprehension dawning on him "Hey, G-man no need to explain, in fact we'll get out of here, believe me I know how those discussions can go, me and Cordy haven't got to any 'important' ones as you might say." He looked suggestively at both the librarian and the teacher, but didn't see expected blushing he was hoping for.

Buffy fairly squealed and slapped Xander on the arm, at which he recoiled like he'd been hit with a punch from a trained boxer or a hammer "Eww, Xander, don't be a perv, besides the frightening mental pictures you've given me about you and Cordelia, Giles would never do that."

Giles grimaced at his newly acquired eunuch status "Buffy, while I appreciate your expression of disgust at the amorous actions of your friends, what gives you the impression that Ms. Calendar and I wouldn't do those sorts of things?" He blushed and glanced at his companion who returned with a racy smile of her own, it only served to cause him more distress, especially in front of his Slayer 'I'm supposed to keep up a sense of authority and decorum, blast you Xander, and you too Jenny.'

Buffy looked at him as if he was speaking a foreign language, "Giles...it's just...and no offense Ms. Calendar...but it's gross, I mean psycho killer vampires I can handle, but that, just no, Xander, your right, we should leave." They turned to go but Giles stopped them.

With his last shred of dignity he said "Buffy, we need you get some things from school, the first is a glass ball in my office, it's fairly distinctive, so you should find it easily, for the second ask Willow, she'll know what it is, it's a yellow, what is it Jenny?"

Jenny quietly chuckled "Floppy disk, Buffy, a yellow Floppy disk, and ask Willow if we can go over to her house tonight, I think she has a computer there, and we'll need that. Angel can't get in there right?"

Buffy looked at Ms. Calendar, wondering what was going on "Sure thing Ms. Calendar, and yes we did the mojo at Willow's first. Now Giles, you better fill me in later, I still remember the last time you tried to keep a secret from me. The whole Master will kill me thing. I don't want to be blindsided like that again."

Giles smiled warmly at his charge "Buffy, absolutely, I hereby swear I will tell you what happened last night, as well as the plan we have for tonight. I don't relish getting knocked out again, as happened when you decided to face the Master."

Buffy returned with "Thanks, Giles, I'll bring everybody over after school, so you can spill." With that she grabbed Xander with a muttered "C'mon, we have to go back, I know it's much cooler here, but we have a job to do, and that means you too." And left the apartment.

Jenny was left alone with a suddenly nervous and flustered Giles, who she found most endearing "Rupert, come over here." After he had moved back to the couch "Teenagers huh, are they as strange to me as computers are to you?"

Giles let some his nervousness go "They are indeed perplexing, as are those dreadful machines" at her briefly indignant look he backtracked "which in no way implies that you..."

She interrupted him with a laugh "Your impossibly old-fashioned sometimes, and irritating, but, you are polite to a fault and a real gentleman Rupert. Last night was almost the perfect opportunity to have one of those 'important' discussions, yet you didn't think of that, you let me decide and for that, thank you."

Giles was almost glowing from the compliments and he was as befuddled as ever but did manage a "Your Welcome, Jenny." amid much sputtering

Jenny had seen this side of him before, he was so cute, so she decided to really make him squirm "And Rupert, there is one thing Buffy was totally wrong about, it's not gross, and she just can't handle it." She moved to show him what she meant, actions spoke louder than words after all, but she wouldn't pressure him into anything, if he wanted to take things slow, and show her respect, than that was just fine. Though the current situation was rather nice anyway, who knew a make-out session could be so intense.

–-

Across town in an abandoned factory that was the home to what passed for celebrities in the underworld. All based on their ability to inflict pain and cause destruction, wanton and otherwise. One of them, a rather lovely young woman with black hair and a pale face, was sitting and staring at some of her most prized possessions. I collection of dolls stared back, if they had been human they would have, or at least should have been utterly terrified, for this was Drusilla, a creature who had been so masterfully crafted, she was as dangerous as any demon and much more so than the majority of vampires. But this day she was worried. "Miss Edith saw Daddy turn out the lights on the bad teacher, the one became a zero, he left her as nice gift for the eyes of the slayer-beast. The patron of the sick took on the sickness and the zero became two, Miss Edith is quite confused."

Another vampire, in a wheelchair with blond hair glossed close with a sheen of oil, rolled up "What's that, duck's"

Drusilla moaned in consternation "My Spike, The bad teacher and the shadow man are together again."

Another vampire interrupted, this one with a delighted smirk always on his handsome face, "Well Dru, that's good news, so ol' Rupes liked my little gift too much huh, wow, you try to help a guy out, I left her in the bed and everything, he at least could've come to thank me, but this works too, though I will miss killing that tweed suited lecturer. I bet Buffy will just love to learn my gift caused a buy one, get one free thing to happen. How'd he die Dru?"

Drusilla wailed "Silly Angel, the witness and the teacher of light and numbers are reunited, not dead, though he has love that hurts, and burns, and pulls him away."

Angelus snarled "Quit it, Dru, I almost took the teacher's head off, unless she's like that girl in the Exorcist, she is dead and watcher-boy followed suit, so get your head on straight." He turned to Spike "Well I'm off to get a meal, don't wait up you two." He continued more gently and sarcastically "And Spike I'll bring something back for you, meals on wheels and all that crap, this country, 'we must help cripples', well, I guess you qualify Spike my boy, maybe you outta call the government. I bet they'd love to help you, undead-American and all, and hey what do you know you're a minority, they'd be falling all over themselves to help you. Social workers, so trusting, an easy meal, even for you.

Spike snarled and was about to spring out of the chair to attack the older vampire, his current weakness be damned, when Drusilla stopped him "Now Spike, Daddy means well, he likes to see that fire in you, so do I, you must rest now my darling boy." Angelus chuckled and left to go find food. Drusilla fixed Spike with a determined yet far away stare. She was looking at him and yet not "My Angel doesn't see, the slayer-beast seeks to ruin our happy family, and her guide and the wife of the king, the keeper of time will help the slayer at the house of the tree that bends but never breaks. They'll bring back that nasty soul, and Angel will be whipped again, Spike you must get him to see."

Spike smiled at her "I will luv, don't concern yourself, soon everything will be right again." while thinking 'My grandsire's going to get a big surprise, I do hope he likes it.'