Chapter 30

"Hey, Giles, I have something to run by you." Buffy stood in the doorway of his study, trying not to fidget.

Rupert Giles looked up at her from the reports he'd been reviewing, raising his glasses and smiling as he made eye contact with her. "Of course, Buffy. What can I help you with?"

For a moment, Buffy felt like she was back in the Sunnydale High library, where Giles always focused his gaze on her, caring deeply about what she was going through and how he could lighten her burdens. She wondered if it had really been that long since he'd looked at her like that. She cleared her throat and walked into the room, taking the chair across the desk from him. "So, umm, how's the catching up going?" She kicked herself mentally for avoiding the real topic, but she didn't quite know how to get there from here.

Giles lowered his eyes to the reports in front of him, unsure of what to say. Lavinia had agreed that he was clearheaded and unaffected by magic this morning, so he could spend as long as he liked catching up on Council goings-on. He'd been at it for two hours, and he wasn't actually sure how much longer he could go on. "I'm embarrassed to say it, but I am feeling somewhat overwhelmed. I've forgotten so many things that happened over the last few years; it seems that every time I think I've grasped a situation it turns out that I've overlooked something, or someone chimes in with some fact I evidently should have been aware of."

Buffy nodded, a breath she hadn't been aware of holding rushing out of her. "I was worried about that. I'm glad you told me, Giles, because I think I've come up with a solution for easing you back into the day-to-day things."

"Oh, really?" He could feel himself arching a skeptical eyebrow; even though he knew Buffy had always been good at coming up with creative solutions, and that she'd assembled a similarly talented team here.

Buffy smiled and braced herself for his reaction. "I think you should come to Spain with William, Dawn, and me."

Giles blinked at her. "I can't imagine how you think that will be in any way useful."

"It's actually the perfect solution." Buffy responded earnestly. "I'll need to do a daily update meeting with Chet and the people in charge here while I'm gone, and you'll sit in on those. Maybe you can even use the urgent situations to help direct what you need to dig in on that day. You can treat the rest of the time as a combination vacation and sabbatical. You can have a Council laptop to get into the database as you need to, and I'll have time to answer any questions you have. Also, we'll have more privacy when we're not at Council HQ with everyone checking in on us, which will probably be relaxing. If you remember, we got along much better than we had been when you came to see me in Rome a few months ago."

"Hmm." Giles leaned back in his chair and tried to give Buffy's idea the consideration it deserved. While the part of him that was conditioned to power through difficulties doubted the sense of leaving Council HQ just as he'd been cleared for full-time work, the part of him that knew his stamina was still somewhat lacking realized he hadn't been on anything resembling a vacation for five years. Spain was lovely, and he hadn't been since long before he was Buffy's Watcher. Why not take some time to get back up to speed and build some stamina before he went back to long hours running the Council? "Well, perhaps I see your point. I really should do the reading and get back up to speed on everything before I go back to work full time. But, taking a week or two away right now just doesn't necessarily seem wise."

Buffy frowned. "See, and this is where we disagree. I think just saying flat out, 'I went through something that spun me and I need a break,' and then coming back rested and all caught up with what's going on, seems like a much stronger position to be in than going back a little bit at a time and having people watch you struggle through the days."

Giles considered that for a moment. "Are we concerned about my position, in that respect? Do I need to be terribly concerned with seeming forceful and in charge?"

"Well, not so much with the younger people." Buffy shifted. "Then again, I keep hearing about the Council's 'culture of merit', where the best person should always be given the job. Even though you were elected by a large majority, you've become unpopular over the last year, and the scuttlebutt is that you were overwhelmed by the job and delegated to people you shouldn't have trusted. That'll change as we slowly let people know what's been going on, and as we go ahead and make the changes we'd meant to make long ago. But if people see you bumbling around, it could feed more into that impression, you know, that you aren't really cut out to lead a large organization. If they called for a new election and voted you out before your term was over, I can't imagine who other than Chet would be nominated, or who would win. I'd rather not let it get to that point."

He huffed, "So, even if I think I should get back to work as quickly as possible, I really shouldn't, because doing so could endanger your plans for the Council, an organization that as recently as last month you were telling me you had no opinion about running."

Buffy shot him a sheepish look. "Yeah, I agree my interest in managing the Council is sudden. The short answer is that I trusted you to take care of it, but since it turns out you weren't taking care of it, I have no one else to trust so I have to get involved." She met his eyes and took a deep breath. "The longer answer is, I'd been keeping some distance between us because we'd had some very unpleasant interactions the last few years, and honestly even though I launched this intervention/rescue mission to figure out what was wrong with you, I still wasn't over all of that. Knowing what I know now, that you were being bespelled and mind-wiped all that time our relationship was deteriorating…I want to get to know you again, Giles. I want us to have a relationship as adults. I want to know that you're safe to be around my family. I want to know that when we're working together as the co-heads of this organization we can trust one another the way we did when you were just my Watcher."

Giles sighed, knowing there was really only one answer he could give. "Well, then I suppose I'm headed to Spain with you. Have you spoken to Aunt Vin about this idea of yours?" She smiled widely, her shoulders relaxing, and Giles felt his heart squeeze. It seemed so simple to make Buffy happy, just agreeing with her plans…Then again, between them working long distance and whatever was really going on with Hank Summers in Madrid, it would probably not be as much of a vacation as Buffy was thinking.

"Of course I spoke to Aunt Vin." Buffy responded. "I wanted to make sure she thought you'd be safe traveling to unfamiliar areas, and to find out if she'd have to come along with you. The answers to those questions, by the way, were 'yes, Rupert is fine to do anything, his memory won't just blink out,' and 'no, I have too much to do here in Bath to spend even a few days in Spain, please go away and take my great-nephew with you so I can get my life back in order'".

"Well, I suppose that puts me in my place." Giles chuckled.

Buffy rushed to open the hotel room door, hoping they could wrap up everything they needed to do tonight and kick their guests out at a reasonable time. She was happy the friends William had made in LA were so generous, willing to help with whatever came up at the Council and pitch in with her personal things, but she'd really prefer Spike-cuddles to socializing tonight.

Tommy, Penny and Wesley were on the other side of the door. "Hey, guys, come in." Buffy stepped back and waved them through to the seating area where Andrew and Daniel were already hanging out.

"Hey, you lot. We were thinking of going down the pub tonight. Feels like we've all seen too much of this hotel the last week." William lazily popped a wheelie in his chair, making Buffy grin. He was so cute when he was excited.

"Oh, err, perhaps I'll just head home, then." Wesley rubbed the back of his neck. "I'm not sure I'm quite up for a noisy pub tonight."

Buffy stepped forward and wrapped an arm loosely around her former Watcher's back. "Trust me, Wes, if it were a rowdy kinda place, I wouldn't be up for it, either. I'm fantasizing about an early night. But you've really got to try their food, it's so good. I had this cottage pie the first week we got here that was so big, even I couldn't finish it. And I tried, believe me."

Penny joined her on Wesley's other side, wrapping herself around his arm. "Come on, Wesel, at least join us for dinner. The food's worth having, and the pub's never been particularly loud. They usually don't even play music. We'll head out after we eat, anyway, I don't think any of us are up for a night of heavy drinking." Andrew looked like he was about to pipe up, but Daniel smacked him on the thigh and distracted him.

Wesley looked back and forth between the two women, then up at their significant others who were ignoring his plight in favor of reviewing some document Tommy had brought Will to sign. No help from that quarter, then. Andrew wouldn't say anything, since he'd go along with whatever Buffy said, and Daniel had bonded with Tommy and would follow the other man's lead in most matters. "Oh, very well, then." He sighed and shook his head when Buffy and Penny enfolded him in a group hug and Andrew and Daniel popped up out of their seats with enthusiasm. He had a bad feeling about this.

The feeling didn't go away as the others dragged him down the high street at the center of a noisy group, but it abated somewhat when they turned down a smaller lane and headed into a pub with boxes of red flowers out front. As described, the place was relatively quiet. Most of the crowd seemed middle-aged or older; the loudest conversation going was a spirited argument by the dart boards.

He honestly couldn't figure out why the group had latched onto the place until they were cramming into a booth and he realized that Spike easily fit at the end of the table in his wheelchair. The booth wasn't raised, and the next table over wasn't too close. He wondered how hard they'd had to look for such a place.

"William!" A booming voice with a vague Scottish accent came from deeper in the restaurant, as an older gentleman in his own wheelchair approached them. "I've got the new dartboard up, if you're willing to have a go."

Will smiled and rolled back from the table. "Just a quick game, Darcy. We're here to eat tonight." Darcy nodded, and the two headed off towards the back of the pub.

"Mr. Darcy just installed a wheelchair-level dartboard." Daniel explained to Wesley. "He was hemming and hawing about whether or not to do it, until William started coming in and griping that he couldn't play darts in the chair. So, now he's obliged to help play-test, I suppose."

"Such a hardship." Buffy rolled her eyes, but smiled at the duo cheerfully arguing about who should throw first.

"Hello, lovelies." A cheerful waitress stopped by and handed Buffy a stack of menus which the Slayer quickly distributed. "Ahh, you brought me a new victim." She nudged Daniel. "Your type or mine, ducks?"

Daniel laughed. "You are desperate, Shirley lass, you haven't even spoken to the bloke."

"Just wantin' to know my chances." She smiled widely at Wesley. "Well, new bloke, what can I get you to drink?"

Wesley cleared his throat. "Umm, pint of bitters, please."

Shirley nodded. "Usuals for everyone else?"

The group nodded, except for Buffy. "Can you give me the small glass tonight, Shirl, I'm kind of tired. You can bring mine and Will's over to the dartboard, I'm gonna go be the cheering section. And give him a Bangers and Mash, and me a Scotch Pie."

The waitress nodded and made a note on her pad. "I'll go grab the drinks and come back for the rest of the food orders."

The two women left the table together, Buffy laughing at some comment Shirley made. Wesley raised an eyebrow at Penny. "How much have the group of you been coming here?"

Penny shrugged, glancing down at her menu. "Most nights in the week or so before we took on the Council infiltrators, and once or twice a week since then."

"It's nice." Tommy shrugged. "If I order the Loaded Chips, will anyone else have any?"

Wesley checked the menu and found the listing for a plate of chips covered with pulled brisket and sharp cheddar, and nodded. "I'll have some."

"Not me, today's my meat-free day." Daniel responded.

Andrew blinked at him. "How did I not know you did meat-free days?"

Daniel shrugged. "Trying something new. My trainer thinks I'm overdoing the protein."

"And in six months he'll be trying to sell you protein shakes to replenish your whatever-type-of deficiency." Penny rolled her eyes.

"Maybe, but I'm gonna try it for a bit. Just because I work behind a desk is no reason to neglect myself, right?" Daniel threw one arm over Andrew's shoulders and patted his stomach with the other hand. "I have this hot young boyfriend to impress, after all."

Andrew blushed so hard he almost turned purple, and Tommy snickered, nudging him. "Awww." Penny batted her eyelashes at them. "You guys are too cute."

Andrew coughed and obviously scrambled for a change of subject. "Umm, so, Wesley. Are you going to go to Spain with Penny when she goes, do you think?"

This was the first Wesley had heard about him going to Spain, and he honestly hadn't considered it as an option. He'd figured that once they were done with whatever business Buffy and Dawn had with their father, they'd drop Giles off in England and pick him up on the way back to Los Angeles. Unless he'd already finished cleaning out his parents' house and putting it on the market, in which case he'd go on ahead of them.

Watching Penny and Tommy exchange looks, Wes realized he might not have been figuring the same things as everyone else. "Well, I wasn't necessarily planning on it. I suppose we'll have to see how much progress I make cleaning out the house this week."

Penny visibly perked up. "Oh, now that I'm done de-spelling all that IT equipment, I can come over and help with the house, if you like!"

Wesley had the distinct sense that he'd walked right into a bear trap. He loved Pen, but she was the most managing baggage in the world. He felt himself flush with irritation.

"Drinks!" Shirley set the pints down on the table and distributed them with running commentary. "Two pints of bitters, here and here; two stouts, one pint, one half; and one IPA here. Now, what'll you lot want to be eatin'?"

"I'll have the fish and chips." Wes grabbed his pint and slid out of the booth. "I'll just go see how the darts are going." When he stopped next to Buffy, he was surprised when she again wrapped her arm around his waist. "Did you know about this plan of Penny's to drag me to Spain with you lot?" He ground out, trying to keep a hold on his temper.

Buffy squeezed him firmly and rested her head on his upper arm. "It was more my idea than Penny's, actually." She murmured. "I worry, you know? I don't like the idea of you all alone in that house you hate, working at a job where you hardly know anybody. You should get the house off your plate, take a vacation with your friends, and head back to LA refreshed."

"I thought you wanted my help at the Research Library." Wesley was affronted that it seemed he wasn't needed in London after all.

Buffy sighed and shifted away from him. "Honestly, we could totally use your help in London for the foreseeable future, but you've just been through a lot. By the time we're done in Spain, it'll almost be time for the wedding, and we'll all be headed for LA. Maybe afterward you'd be willing to come back to London? Think about it, okay? Heck, maybe you could even stay with Giles in Bath, who knows?"

"Not bloody likely." He snorted. "Rupert and I haven't ever gotten along terribly well."

Buffy shrugged and sipped her drink. "Well, no better time to find out if you can work together or not than the present, right?" William hit the center of the bullseye, and Buffy cheered gleefully, drawing chuckles from Wes and a scowl from Mr. Darcy.

The two wheelchair users were soon embroiled in a good-natured argument about how far from the target they should be sitting, with Buffy mediating. Wesley took a deep breath and sipped at his drink until he felt calmer, wondering if he should head back to the table and apologize to Penny.

"'Scuse me, luv." Shirley popped up at Wesley's shoulder, running a rag over the island where he and Buffy had been resting their drinks and placing coasters under their glasses.

"Oh, sorry to make a mess." Wesley felt somewhat silly apologizing for water rings in a pub, but he wasn't sure what else to say. It wasn't until she'd gone off to answer a call from another table that he noticed his coaster had a phone number written on it.