WDWG - Chapter 35: Watchers

Despite spending a long time soaking in lavender bath salts in the huge claw tub, Buffy still hadn't relaxed after her ordeal. Her body definitely felt better, the pain in her left leg had finally subsided and she no longer walked with a limp, but she was in no mood to entertain the group of Watchers. She just wanted to crawl into bed and forget the rest of the world for a while.

Frustrated, she held up the two dresses she had brought with her as she stood before the full length mirror in the bedroom. What sort of message did she want to send to these Watchers? She quickly ruled out the white one with the delicate floral pattern on it, it was perhaps a bit too innocent and whimsical for the occasion.

The Board had already agreed to purchase the estate, and while the sale was contingent on inspection, Buffy knew that the real reason for the members' visit to Hawkingridge was to get to know her and Giles as the new heads of the Council. No doubt the reports from the previous Council administration were rather negatively biased towards their rebellious natures and blatant disregard for Council tradition, neither of which she would apologize for since the Council never wholly supported her or her Watcher from the outset.

The navy blue sheath dress that left her shoulders bare and clasped around her neck was perhaps a bit more formal than what she wanted for the evening, but it did present a more grown-up and commanding look than the white one. She'd changed quite a bit over the last few years and she wanted to show the Watchers that she was a leader, not a young Slayer guided by her Watcher. She needed to charm them and win their support since they all had to work together to create a new organization that would properly support the new Slayers and their Watchers. Buffy had no doubt that everyone had their own opinions as to how to proceed, however it certainly helped to get to know the players in a more relaxed and friendly environment.

After getting dressed, the Slayer fixed her makeup and styled her hair in an uptwist. Passing in front of the mirror one more time, she decided she looked feminine and approachable, yet strong and confident and ready to dazzle the Board members.

XxXxXxXx

Giles and the Watchers finished up their tour of the gardens, stables, and outbuildings, talking about the possibilities available for the new Academy and the advantages of the remote location near the bay.

As they entered the house, Jonathan Adams, the American Watcher, noted, "The only concerns I have with a remote location, and I have addressed this with the rest of my colleagues, is that it leaves Headquarters mostly undefended and it removes the practical experience aspect of training, such as taking the girls out for patrols, from the curriculum."

"But it does ensure their safety until we can determine that they are ready for such patrols and we can assure you that Headquarters will never be left undefended." All eyes turned to the Slayer as she made her way down the grand staircase, smiling as she answered the Watcher's concerns. "We'll have a couple of experienced Slayers stationed in London at all times. That, and we have a super Wicca who will cast protection spells to add a layer of security to the existing security system installed in the building. Although I am sure we can beef that up as well with Andrew's mad hacking skills. We'll just have to pry him away from Cleveland for a few weeks."

Giles held his hand out, grinning broadly at Buffy as she took it. Her timing was impeccable. Turning his attention back to his colleagues, he said, "It is my honor to present to you Buffy Summers."

Daniel McTavish started the round of applause with the others joining in immediately after and Buffy blushed in embarrassment, though admittedly, she reveled in the appreciation. It was a welcome change from the officious reception she had received from Travers and his cronies the times he had visited Sunnydale.

"Thank you," the Slayer replied as her fiancé ushered her into the dining room followed by the five other Watchers.

Sebastian took the initiative and introduced her to the rest of the members of the Board while Giles looked on, pride swelling in his chest. Buffy spent several minutes talking individually with each of the active Watchers, asking questions as well as answering them. The mutual admiration between his Slayer and the active Watchers became very apparent after she had finished speaking with each one, and he knew without a doubt that these were the people that needed to be on the Board of Directors, that they would all have the Slayers' best interests at heart, something that had gotten lost in the bureaucratic top heavy organization that the previous Council had become.

When they sat down for dinner, Buffy felt like she was holding court, seated as she was at the head of the table and flanked by Sebastian and Daniel, who both treated her like a queen. Griet and Declan sat on either side of the two older gentlemen with Jonathan and Giles seated further down. At Declan's request, the Slayer recounted the battle with the First and the destruction of the Hellmouth, stressing the importance of the team and everyone's role in the victory. Even before the transference of Slayer powers to the Potentials, the team, and most especially her Scooby Gang, had been important to Buffy's success. Long gone were the days of the isolated Watcher/Slayer pair.

Refusing to dwell on the emotion of the events, Buffy segued into the needs of the Slayers and how she wanted to develop a training curriculum for them that included both physical training and tactical planning. She also wanted to understand the Council's methods, how previous Watchers trained their Potentials and Slayers, and to include the ideas that fit within her philosophy into her program. Having Giles and the former active Watchers at her disposal would definitely help her in that regard, as would a study of her predecessors and their battles.

Her enthusiasm and ideas sparked conversation and soon the discussion flowed as freely as the wine through the courses of the meal. Giles watched in awe as his Slayer dazzled their guests. She was charming, gracious, completely at ease, and exuded confidence. By the time dessert arrived, all three former active Watchers had offered to talk to Buffy about their Slayers and lend her their diaries to aid her in her endeavor.

But it was Griet van Aalten who brought the conversation back to the more immediate issues at hand. "What do we do with the girls who have been found thus far? There aren't enough Watchers to go around and we aren't providing direction for them. Also, we have about five new young Watcher recruits who will finish university after the fall term and will need to further their education and training. Can we be ready for them by then?"

Clearing his throat, Giles looked at his fiancée before answering the Dutch woman, "We can, but it's going to take a more active role from all of us. I feel we can set up part of the house for immediate use while we wait for the rest to be transformed into a proper school. Sebastian and I were talking about this earlier. As you pointed out, we are in desperate need of Watchers. We'll need the expertise we have here and we need a head master or mistress of the school. Traditionally Board members are not involved in the day to day runnings, but we are in dire straits."

"I would've been insulted if I wasn't asked to help in some capacity," Jonathan said with a smile. "Although, I nominate Daniel as head master."

"Seconded," Griet agreed without hesitation.

Daniel McTavish put down his wine glass. "How soon?"

"Effective immediately?" Giles asked hopefully.

"Give me a week. I only brought enough clothes for a couple days," the older man laughed.

The discussion continued as they moved back to the drawing room after dinner. Seamus had been waiting within and immediately rose to his feet to greet Buffy, nuzzling at her hand as she crossed the room and took a seat on one of the sofas. She scratched his ears and the great wolfhound sat beside the sofa before relaxing and lying down.

As they continued to discuss new plans and ideas, Giles walked over to the buffet where there were glasses of port already poured and handed them out to his guests and his fiancée.

Griet raised her glass towards the Slayer, "To Buffy! Congratulations on being the first Slayer to retire from active duty. Because of you, there will be many more. I wish you peace, happiness, and long life."

"To Buffy," the rest agreed, lifting their glasses in salute.

"Thank you," she said with a blush after taking a sip of the port. Turning towards her Watcher, she lifted her glass towards him. "And to Giles... for his patience, his guidance, his tolerance, and his strength, without which I wouldn't be here today."

"To Giles," the rest agreed, charging their glasses to the Watcher.

"Thank you all. Your support means the world to us," Giles answered, walking over to his partner and putting his arm around her shoulders. "I feel much more confident about our position as we bring the new Council into this new era. We have an amazing group of people, present company included, ready to rebuild and defend humanity against the darkness. Now it's just a matter of execution."

Buffy looked up at him with a tiny pout and joked, "I guess this means the holiday is over, huh?"

As the evening wore on, it was decided that Buffy would work with Daniel to set up the Academy, while Giles would focus on rebuilding the Council. Of course, both of them would work together on the day to day operations and address any emergencies or apocalypses that might arise.

When the events of the day caught up with Buffy, she tried to stifle a yawn, something that did not go unnoticed by Sebastian, who made an obvious show of looking at his watch.

"Well, ladies and gentlemen, it is late and we have an early start tomorrow. Rupert and Buffy, thank you both for a wonderful day here at Hawkingridge."

The pair said goodnight to their guests and watched as they left for their rooms. When they were alone, Giles placed the empty glasses on a tray and turned to his fiancée.

"Let's head up to bed, love."

"Mmmm. Sounds heavenly," she replied with a yawn and took his hand.

As they left the drawing room, Seamus got up from his spot and loped after them.

"Looks like Sebastian forgot someone," Buffy noted.

"He took Ivey up to his room before dinner. I am sure he meant to leave Seamus for you."

"That was thoughtful," she said, affectionately rubbing the shaggy dog's head. "Come on, Seamus."

After retiring to their rooms for the night, Giles made a bed for the giant dog out of a few spare pillows and the extra duvet from the closet while Buffy readied herself for bed in the bathroom.

"I'm afraid you're a bit too big to share the bed with, old boy," he said, scratching Seamus behind the ears. The dog nuzzled his face into the Watchers palm before turning around three times in his makeshift bed and lying down, his eyes trained on the bathroom door.

When the Slayer opened the door and entered the bedroom, the wolfhound relaxed and lowered his head onto his paws. Giles gave his fiancée a quick kiss on the cheek before heading into the bathroom.

"Hey, big dog," Buffy crooned as she sat down next to Seamus and rubbed his head. "Thanks for taking care of me today. It would've been a lot harder to get back here if it weren't for you... and your sister. You're extremely protective, aren't you?" she asked as he rolled over, presenting his belly for her to rub. Laughing, she obliged and scratched up and down his long torso. When he wiggled on his back and sneezed, she exclaimed, "Goofball!"

"Ah, I see you two are getting along," Giles observed as he walked back into the room. Seamus rolled over and sat up on his haunches, his tongue lolling out of his mouth as he panted happily.

Buffy affectionately hugged the dog around the neck before getting up and embracing her lover. "Yeah, we're best buds."

Seamus settled himself on his bed and closed his eyes, letting out a contented sigh, and the Slayer looked over at him before asking Giles wistfully, "Do you think Sebastian and Declan would breed him for us? Maybe we could get a puppy just like him."

"I suspect there won't be another hound just like him," Giles said as he rested his eyes on the sleeping giant. "I believe he's meant to be yours."

Buffy sighed sadly, "But he's not mine and he's such a great dog."

"While you were out running, Declan told us something about the line of wolfhounds his family has been breeding over the centuries. It's all rather extraordinary," he began to explain as he led her over to the bed and sat down beside her.

She sat in silence after hearing Giles recount the legend of the O'Faolain family's Irish wolfhounds and the bonding that happens between dog and Slayer.

"Tell me what you are thinking," he asked, pushing the hair back from the side of her face so he could see her better.

"This bond... it doesn't just happen whenever a wolfhound meets the... a Slayer?"

"No. None of Declan's hounds bonded with his Slayer and there were even two litters of puppies bred during that time. And neither had his grandfather's nor his great-grandfather's Slayers bonded with any hounds. The last mention of the bond was sometime in the mid 1700s," Giles answered. "He had thought the account wrong and the bond to be a legend or perhaps an exaggeration until he saw Seamus with you."

Buffy watched the sleeping hound shift on his duvet. "Well, that's awkward."

"How so?"

"What about Sebastian?"

"I think he was resigned to the fact that even before this knowledge he'd lost Seamus to you, my love."

"You don't mind having a dog around the house?"

"Could I ever deny you anything?"

"I've had to pout to get my way at times."

"And we both know I cannot resist the pout," he chuckled, tracing his index finger along her lips before leaning in and placing a soft kiss upon them.

"So, we have a dog," Buffy stated happily.

"Seems so," he confirmed, kissing her forehead and pulling her down with him as he rested against the headboard. She curled up around him and rested her head on his chest before he continued, "I like the idea of having him around, if nothing more than to be a companion for you on those infrequent occasions we might be apart. However, should the need ever arise, we've got another ally keeping an eye out for you."

"For us. He felt the need to defend you from the overzealous Watchers this afternoon as well."

"Well, he has, on more than one occasion, shown me that he will get between us if he thinks I am threatening you."

"I'll make sure he knows the difference between lovers' spats and real threats," Buffy reassured him before fighting her way through another yawn.

"I think that is our cue to get some sleep."

"Mmhmm. I love you," she said as they scrunched their way beneath the covers.

"I love you, too, Buffy. Sweet dreams," Giles replied as he snuggled up against her back and draped his arm over her waist. It had been a long and productive day, one which he felt very good about, and he drifted off into a deep sleep lulled by the soft snore coming from the ever watchful wolfhound dozing on the duvet across the room.