BTVS, Angel and Charmed characters do not belong to me. I'm just borrowing them for a while.

Spoilers: Up until the Season 5 episode The Body (just to be safe).

Wesley quietly closed the front door and crossed the porch to stand next to Giles. The older Watcher seemed intent on something across the street but Wesley surmised that he was merely lost in thought.

"What is it Wesley?" Giles asked softly.

He jumped, startled at both the question and the soft tone. "Uh, well, I won't insult you by asking you if you are alright, but is there anything I can do?"

Giles turned and studied Wesley for a moment. It had been easy to dismiss the young man two years ago when he had first arrived in Sunnydale to take his place as Buffy's watcher. On the surface Wesley had been so sure of himself and the Council that it had been tempting to knock him down a few pegs. In retrospect, and if he were honest, a lot of that was probably undeserved. And yet, Wesley had still stood with them against the Mayor. And here he was now, ready to "beard the lion in his den", despite being convinced that any overture of sympathy or friendship would be rebuked. "Wesley, I'm quite sure I should have said this long ago, but I'm sorry for the way we treated you when you first arrived in Sunnydale." He held up a hand to forestall any protestations. "No, I know how shabbily we treated you. We directed all our anger and frustration at the Council towards you. It was reprehensible behavior on my part and I will understand if you cannot forgive me for it. But please don't hold it against the children. They were merely following my lead." Giles looked down at his shoes so he did not witness Wesley's shocked look.

"Giles? That was a long time ago and I behaved like an annoying prat. Looking back at my own behavior back then, I'm surprised you were able to restrain yourself from beating me to a bloody pulp." He joked, stalling for time until he could figure out a new approach. When he had come out here he had expected Giles to either take his head off, brush him off or both. He had not expected to find him in a melancholy state.

Giles sighed and shook his head sadly, but let the matter drop. "There was a Watcher here with Travers a few weeks ago. I don't remember her name, but one of the children might. She mentioned that she had done a study of Spike so she might have some research on vampiric rituals."

Wesley nodded. "Her name is Lydia. We went through the Academy together. She was always quite thorough with her research. Hopefully, she will know of a counter-ritual or at least give us a starting point. I can call her later."

"Perhaps we should wait for Buffy before contacting her. See what she wants to do."

"Giles?" When the Watcher looked up, what had been confusing to Wesley suddenly became clear. "You think Buffy knew about the claim."

Giles shrugged. "Or she may not want to reverse it." He stuck his hand in his pocket and watched the neighbors go about their routine.

"But wouldn't she have come to you? Asked you about it? You're her Watcher."

Giles studied his shoes again. "I'm afraid that I've failed her too many times to have earned that kind of trust." Before Wesley could protest, Giles turned him back towards the front door. "Now, I presume Jane sent you out here because they've found something. Best not to keep her waiting."

Wesley knew the conversation had been effectively ended. His first impulse was to go and talk to Cordelia but she was still four. Perhaps Lorne, although Wesley had no idea how the gregarious demon would get a chance to read them. Giles was a very private person and not likely to agree to being "read" by a demon, no matter how friendly.

When they entered the house, a very agitated Buffy squirmed from Joyce's grasp and threw herself at Giles. When he picked her up she clung to his neck and kept sobbing, "love you, love you." The poor girl was in hysterics and Giles did his best to soothe her. "Shh, Buffy. We'll fix this. I won't fail you this time. You'll be alright." Which made Buffy cry even harder. Wesley suspected that she had overheard their conversation from the porch. 'Oh dear.'

She finally exhausted herself and dropped off to a fitful sleep. Attempts to pass the sleeping child to Joyce or Tara were thwarted by the near stranglehold she maintained on Giles.

Jane raised a questioning eyebrow at the Watcher, but silently acknowledged the need to table the discussion for later. At the rate they were accumulating new problems, they would never get everything untangled unless they started attacking them one at a time. "Rupert, Agnes and I have had a chance to examine Willow. I'll let her explain about her aura."

"Most times, a person's aura is self contained. When two magic practitioners are involved, their auras can mingle but it is rarely permanent. I expected to find Tara's aura intermixed. But, I was a little surprised to find yours, Buffy's and two unidentified auras also in the mix." At Giles outraged look, she hastened to explain, "I'm sure there's an explanation."

"Yes. A few months ago, in order to help Buffy defeat a creature called Adam, we did an enjoining spell. And by we, I mean, Buffy, myself and Xander. Although, I'm unaware of any magical ability on young Xander's part."

"Oh. Well, technically Buffy isn't a practitioner either, although she is partly a product of magic with her being the Slayer. What about the identity of the fourth?"

Giles thought for a moment and then shrugged. "I'm not sure. Perhaps Anya? Or a previous boyfriend named Oz."

"Well those four were the only the ones that I could identify as distinct entities. What scares me is the large presence of negative energies that seemed to grow even as I studied her. I've never encountered anything like it."

"Rupert, it is possible Willow opened herself up to dark forces when she performed the restoration spell on Angelus." Giles bowed his head as much as Buffy's grip would allow. Jane recognized the look of self-recrimination on her old friend. "Rupert, I know you won't listen to me when I tell you that this is not your fault, but you need to set it aside right now."He nodded once and Jane let it drop.

"Can you help her?"

She hesitated.

"Jane?"

"It is beyond our abilities at the Coven, but there is someone in San Francisco that might be able to help."

His brow furrowed in worry. "Jane," he began but she interrupted. "Three very powerful sisters and their mentor. I won't mention the Slayer, although I'm quite sure they are aware of her."

"Three sisters in San Francisco, the Halliwell sisters?"

"Yes. I'd like to take Willow to San Francisco as soon as possible."

"Why can't they come here? I'm not her parent but I do feel responsible for her, particularly in her current state."

"Because of the hellmouth," Agnes said. "I'd like to observe her aura away from here and see if the absorption of energy stops or hopefully even reverses."

"And I don't think Leo will want the girls near the hellmouth either."

It was a position he could respect as a Watcher. "Tara?"

Tara nodded. "I think we should take Willow to San Francisco."

He turned and looked to Wesley and Joyce, who both nodded their agreement. "Alright, it looks like we are agreed. When do you leave?"

"Now. Xander and the other two girls are napping and it looks like Buffy is still out so we can leave without all the fuss."

Ten minutes later the Summers household was minus four witches. Giles sent a silent prayer that the Powers watch over them and keep them safe. He settled down on the sofa, with a sleeping, but thankfully no longer crying Buffy, still in his arms. Wesley and Joyce returned from the kitchen, Joyce with a fresh pot of tea and Wesley having finished making a few phone calls.

"Lydia is emailing me her notes and a list of reference materials that might be helpful, err regarding that other matter." He glanced at Joyce and his cheeks tinged pink. "She knows I work for Angel, but I left out any specific references."

Giles sighed. "Thank you, Wesley. I appreciate all your efforts. And I trust your judgement with regard to this young lady and her discretion. I shudder at what Quentin and the rest of the Council would make of such an inquiry. Joyce, I hate to impose, but there are some books at the shop that I haven't gone through yet, and it might be helpful for you to look at a few of them. Perhaps it might jog your memory of something you might have seen or felt but not realized it's significance."

"You want me to help with the research?" She asked incredulously.

"I'm afraid I'm about out of ideas."

Joyce noted his defeated look. The man was exhausted. The children clamored for his attention all the time, and none more than Buffy. And whenever the children napped, he researched. She doubted the man had slept two hours during the last two days. "Why don't I drive you and Buffy and Wesley can follow in your car with Xander, Cordelia and Anya?"

Giles nodded gratefully. He was in no condition to drive, even if he could convince Buffy to let go. Besides, he was reluctant to wake his Slayer. She got little enough sleep as it was.

Remarkably no one had awakened on the short drive to the store. The peace was short-lived however, when Cordelia was hit by one of her visions. Joyce did her best to comfort Xander, Anya and Buffy while Giles and Wesley set about trying to help the seer. Giles held the crying Cordelia in his lap while Wesley fetched her some water. Buffy crawled back to Giles and offered Mr. Gordo to Cordy.

"I'm so sorry Cordelia." Giles whispered over her head. "Buffy, told me that you got visions from the Powers, but I had no idea how debilitating they," he trailed off. "I never bothered to ask. I heard you were working for Angel and I didn't want to call there. I let my … I'm so sorry Cordelia. I should have done better. You're still one of my kids, you know, and I worry about you."

Just like with Dawn and Tara, there were no lights, no energy crackling or any other outward indication, but in an instant Cordelia was back to her old self. And she immediately gave Giles a piece of her mind, "God Giles! Everything is NOT your fault. I could have called you too, ya know. Now, that I'm me again, can I get some of the good painkillers? I know you must have them as many times as you've been knocked on the head."

"And yet, I've managed not to wake up in a coma."

"Smartass," she said with no small amount of affection. She gave him a hug and then they both were embarrassed when they realized just how much she was not covered. "Oh my God!"

Joyce found one of Giles' sweatshirts from the training room, and after a brief battle with Buffy and a promise to take her shopping, Cordelia was once again decent.

Cordelia glanced at Buffy and then gave a look to the other three adults that said, 'follow my lead'. Once she knew that Buffy was paying attention she said, "but, I don't have any shoes and Giles' feet are way bigger than mine."

Joyce, as the only other adult woman present, was the first to catch on. "Cordelia, would you like me to run to the shoe store and get you a new pair? It's too bad that Buffy won't want to come, as she's much better at picking out shoes."

"I come! I come!" Buffy exclaimed as she jumped to her feet. She grabbed Giles' hand and tried to pull him up.

"Uh, Buffy, I have to stay here at the shop. But you go with your Mum."

Buffy sat back down dejectedly. "No. I stay."

Joyce closed her eyes and Giles could tell she was about to lose patience with her daughter. "Buffy, luv, your Mum is going to take you to get the new shoes I promised you before. Remember, when you let Cordelia have the sweatshirt."

"You have to take me. You promised!" Her eyes got wide and her bottom lip began to tremble.

Desperately, Giles looked to the two women for help.

With an impish grin, Cordelia said, "Giles can take you for another pair tomorrow and your Mom can take you today."

Giles looked horrified but remained quiet as he saw his Slayer's face break out into a big grin.

"Tomorrow? You promise?"

"Yes, I promise." he sighed. 'You walked right into that one old chap' he thought.

After triple checking that Joyce's jeep was not parked either out front or out back, Cordelia sat down at the research table and told them of her vision. Now she was positive they were watchers. It was the same creepy guy that had been there for Buffy's eighteenth birthday, but now he wore a goatee, which according to Cordelia, "made him look totally evil". This time she also had a date, today, and a place, which she now recognized as the Magic Box.

"Wesley, I'll need you to pick up Dawn from school and take her home to pack a few things for everyone. Then the two of you need to get back here as quickly as you can. Cordelia, I know this is a lot to ask of you, but I need you to take Xander and Anya someplace safe. Damn. I could really use Xander's help right now."

"Uh, Giles? What the hell happened. We were all at Buffy's to watch a movie, then Joyce was mad because we hadn't invited you, and then suddenly everything got really big."

Giles turned in shock. "Xander! Are you alright?" At the young man's nod he continued, "I don't have all the details, but long story short, you were four and now thankfully you are not. Although I do wish you'd run into the training room and put on some clothes."

"Eeep!" Mortified he tried his best to cover himself and turned for the training room. After a few seconds of internal debate, he turned back and pulled the Watcher into a hug. "Thanks Giles. You're the first adult that has believed in me. Even when I mess up." After releasing his father-figure from the manly hug, he hurried into the training room. Minutes later he returned, dressed in the somewhat tattered outfit last seen on Buffy's training dummy. "What do you need me to do?"

Giles stared at Anya for a minute. She and Buffy were the last. He had no idea what it was that Buffy needed from him, but maybe … "Anya, I need you to be a big girl and take care of the money. Can you do that for me?" And just like that, a skimpily dressed but now fully grown Anya squealed and gave Giles a giant bear hug. Having adjusted to life around the Slayer, she fetched the change of clothes she'd hidden behind the counter. Smiling she grabbed the money from the cash register before going into the bathroom to change.

Giles chuckled in relief and answered Xander, "I need you four to take Joyce, Dawn and Buffy someplace safe." Anticipating a discussion of the plan, he held up a hand. "No, Xander, you can't tell me. You can't call me or contact me. It is best that I don't know any of the details. The most important thing is to keep them safe. We've been very lucky that Glory hasn't appeared but I don't trust that will last for long. And if the Council finds out what has happened to Buffy ..."

"But you guys are good with the Council I thought?" Xander asked. Not wanting to admit what he already knew.

"Xander, with Faith in jail and Buffy aged four they'll want to try and call another Slayer." Wesley said.

"But! That's stupid! Won't they try and reverse it first?"

"And get back a Slayer that isn't under their thumb?" Anya added in disbelief.

"But why can't you come Giles? You'd be way better at protecting Buffy. I can stay behind and be the Council's punching bag." Xander was beginning to lose it as he realized that Giles didn't think he'd ever see them again.

"Thank you for the offer, Xander. But it isn't true. You're the one that saved Buffy. You went down into the Master's Lair and gave her CPR. "

"Only after she knocked you out! You were going to die in her place, Giles. You were just going to march off like a good little soldier and die. Just like now. I won't let you do it."

"Xander, I'm trusting you to protect the most important people in my life. I can't go with you because the Council would be able to trace me through my magic. Now, please hurry, there isn't much time." Xander stormed off to gather weapons and supplies. "Wesley, I'll cast a morpheus spell on Buffy. That should give you a head start." He shook hands with the younger Watcher, who pulled him into a hug. "Take care of them, please."