Matter of Perspective
by Minion

WARNING: this is a Work in Progress!

RATING: FRM [SS] [MV] [A] [AU]

SUMMARY: Just after the end of both seasons, everyone is left in the aftermath of the finales. Little do they know that the Watcher's Council is about to make itself known again.

MAIN PEOPLE: Well Wes/Fred of course, Giles and Buffy, the Scooby Gang and a few faces that you all love and some you love to hate.

MENTAL NOTE: I think fast type slower. If you like me, drop kick my muse sometime. All Flames go to the “Burn Angel alive for being a wanker fund”.

DISCLAIMER: Oh yea, not to mention, I don't make any money off this, and I don't own these characters, but someone has to do something with them. :) Strictly amusement purposes. Lyrics are from "Witness" by Sarah McLachlan.

Sunnydale General

Anya had managed to get Giles to the Emergency Room under much protest on his part. When they arrived the staff greeted them cheerfully. "What happened tonight? Another mugging?" A dimple cheeked nurse asked coming over with her clipboard in hand. "Actually, if you must know." Giles began shifting uncomfortably. "I was on my way to see Anya and the others when a gas leak caused a fire in the process. I managed to get trapped under a wall support."

The nurse seemed to be believing them, even apologized for teasing him. The staff of the ER knew the Scooby Gang well and at the same time they had no clue of the real reasons they frequented the ER. "Well, your room is reserved Mr.Giles. Anya can you wait here for a moment?" Anya was about to protest until Giles patted her knee. "Don't worry. I did not come all the way back from England to just disappear."

Anya bounced in her seat happily. "Can you please call the others? I would like to know that they..." "Done." Anya snapped to attention and headed off to the pay phones in the lobby. "All right Giles. Come on. You know the drill." "Yes, of course." Giles followed the nurse behind the double doors. Soon he was in yet another tastelessly decorated room that smelled faintly of sanitary soap. He sat at the foot of the hospital bed waiting for the battery of testing to begin.

Buffy and Dawn were walking down Main Street when Buffy's cell rang in her pocket. "Wonder who'd be callin’ me." Buffy's eyes went wide as she tugged the phone out of her leather pants pocket. "Giles!?!" Dawn stopped walking and looked at Buffy in shock. "Giles? He's here?" Dawn clung to her sister as Buffy held the phone in between them. "No, sorry it's me." Anya's voice came over the cell. Both of the Summer's girls frowned. "I took Giles to the hospital. He's in there now. Wanted me to call everyone. See if everyone is all right."

Buffy grinned. "He always does that." "What?" Anya and Dawn asked at the same time. "Nothing. Anya, how is he?" Buffy asked nervously. "Don't know. He's not dead. I count that as good. He's even smiling now, made him smile I did." Dawn and Buffy high fived each other. "I'll be there in a few. Got to try and track down Xand and Willow." Anya hung up and returned to manning her post on the lobby couch waiting for the others to arrive, not knowing how she would feel when and if Willow arrived.

Los Angeles

Fred spun around the now empty Hyperion. She had already posed the question that no one could answer. Where was everyone? Hard to get an answer when she was the only person standing in the lobby of the mammoth hotel. A quick call to Lorne had placed him at his new place. Still unaccounted for, Gunn and Angel. What ever Stephen wanted to do was none of her concern. Something was really off with the boy. Shaking her head she walked over to the counter and took a seat propping her head up with her hands.

"If I were Charles and Angel where would I be?"

Angel fought against the only way that he could get out. His strength failing him as sparkling fish passed him without a care in the world. Of course the sun wasn't a problem down here. Having been left for a fate worse than death by his own son Angel sank back against his tiny prison. Spending eternity with coral didn't seem to be all that bad an idea when he thought about it.

After a patrol that resulted in the death of three vampires and a Mortok demon Gunn was on his way back to the Hyperion. He was not used to going out on his own anymore. He found that he missed the others presence. Of course he could have swung back for Fred but after having an alien hell dimension beast inside her sucking the life out of her he found that alone started to sound much more pleasant when fighting the forces of evil.

Across town Wesley stared continually at the ceiling. There was nothing left for him here. The others not seeming to care about listening to what had happened, his side of things going unheard yet again. He sat up in bed tossing off the mangled sheet. It did not take long for him to find his comfortable clothing and pull together his things. With a few quick calls and a dropping off of the keys he walked down to the storage sheds and pulled his bike out of its hibernation. Kick starting it he drove out of the parking facility and out towards the main freeway. With only one stop on the way he expected to make good time.

A hill atop Sunnydale

Willow had shed her last tear, her body still over taken with sobs that she could not control. Xander continued to rock her gently wondering if Willow would ever be the same again. Having lost so much in her life the reality of things filled Xander with anger. He knew that it wasn't the way but he could still not help how he felt, what he wanted to do to make things right for Willow.

Slowly he stood up cradling her in his arms, walking past the hideous looking statue nearby. As he walked down the hill he thought about Oz, Tara and the fact that Willow would recall killing a human being. For intending to harm her friends, to end the world. It was going to be a long road for Willow to go down. Everyone still loved her, very much but now the trust was broken. The faith misplaced. With a heavy heart he caught sight of Buffy.

Dawn and Buffy stopped walking, not knowing what to say. If they should even approach. Willow looked broken in Xander's arms. The look in their friends eyes telling the story. He cut his head to the side and they understood. Now was not the time, there would be another chance to speak to Willow. To tell her that they understood, that eventually everything would be all right between them. Buffy mouthed the word 'hospital' and Xander nodded in understanding.

Dawn looked over her shoulder as they continued down the street toward Sunnydale General. Xander opened the passenger side door and placed Willow in the seat. Climbing in on the driver’s side he fastened her seat belt as she tried to curl into a little ball. His heart tore it's self asunder as the car turned over and headed towards her house.

Spike finally managed to claw his way upward until he was panting against the freshly uprooted soil. He had his soul back, he would be able to give Buffy the one thing that she needed most. A flesh and blood man that would not leave her, would not turn tail and run during a fight. He was still bloody Spike. He just now had the best of both worlds, and he would have the slayer. There was nothing wrong with this picture, not anymore.

Hyperion

"Fred! Angel!" Gunn called out as he entered the lobby. When no one answered he found his way over to the phone where a piece of paper was bent up against the receiver.

Charles,

I waited around for anyone to show up. No one has. I don't like being here by myself. I don't know if you will understand or not. I'm going out, will be back in a few. Don't wait up for me. Angel either. Don't have a clue where he or Stephen is.

Fred

Tossing the note back on the bar, he dropped his bloodied axe down with it and headed up for a much needed shower. From there he would wait for Fred to return. "Where did she go? Probably Taco Bell that makes the most sense." Shrugging he headed upstairs.

The Towers Apartments

Fred found her way upstairs and knocked tentatively on Wesley's door. She had no clue what she was thinking. Of course her mind was such a jumble that it would all rush to the surface at any moment. Angel, Gunn, Cordelia, Stephen, her. She knocked louder and wondered that if he were there, would he even open the door? They didn't deserve to ask anything of him as it was.

"Wesley? It's Fred...please...open the door. If you're there."

No answer came and she felt her heart sink into the heels of her shoes. "He ain't there miss." She whirled around to see Anne standing there. "He turned his keys in. Said he was leaving town." "Leaving?" Fred nearly fell against the wall behind her. "Yup, had a bag and all. Said I could do whatever with the furniture. Going to see a friend, that's what he had said. Then he just left." Anne walked past her. "Too bad, he was such a nice boy. Terrible to see that he's been stuck up in here for weeks. Some nasty woman kept coming over to see him. Wouldn't leave the poor boy alone."

Fred's eyes went wide. "Shoulder length almost dark brown hair?" Anne nodded unlocking Wesley's door. "Yup, that's her all right. She was definitely not the person he wanted to see. Unfortunately she's the only one that doesn't stare at him like he was a victim." Fred felt her heart lurch as Anne invited her to go in and she could leave whenever she wanted. Once she was gone Fred closed the door behind her, tears threatening to take her over.

She noticed that everything looked the same, nothing out of place. It's the way Wesley kept his things. There was a book tossed open on the coffee table. Picking it up she wondered why he would be reading something like that. Placing it back down she made her way over to his room. Everything was a mess. The bedding on the floor, an empty vodka bottle on the nightstand. Swiping at her clouded eyes she opened his closet. Reaching in she ran her hands over the shirts he wore to look more business like than the others. His ties were there, everything he had seemed to still be in his closet.

She made her way over to the drawers and when she opened them she could not help but gasp. They were empty, all of them. One by one she pulled them out, tears streaking down her cheeks. Falling down unceremoniously to the floor she opened up the final drawer. Inside sat the pullover sweater she had given him the night the demon had torn his shirt into so many bits that it was hardly nothing but a collar with flapping straps of fabric attached.

They had stopped off at the nearby 24/7 Walmart much to his protest. She had nothing of it. Making him wait on the bench outside the store she had ran to the men's clothing and instead of buying a stupid five dollar t-shirt she had seen this. Rushing out of the store she had skidded to a halt in front of him. He looked to her like a lamb being led to the slaughter. She swore that it had nothing to do with flannel and Hawaiian print. Reluctantly he had pulled off his tattered shirt tossing it in the nearby trash can as she held out the pullover. He had looked at her curiously but thanked her kindly before pulling it over his head.

Fred pulled it out of the bottom drawer and held it to her chest. He was gone, for what? Angel had been forgiven for everything he had ever done. Gunn had sold his soul for a damn truck. Might she add a busted old piece of scrap that had a cassette player and no ac. Laughing thru her tears she pulled the sweater over her head and gripped the ends of the sleeves in her hands. With a last look she shut the door behind her and walked out of the apartment building.

Sunnydale

"Only one at a time, please. I know how you all break the rules. Not this time all right? I want to keep my job." The nurse pleaded with Dawn, Buffy and Anya. They all knew who was going to win this argument. The nurse half expected it. Buffy stood up. "Hold down the fort. No slayage expected." Dawn saluted as Anya stared blankly. Buffy clenched her hands together and walked behind the nurse. It was a quiet evening in the ER, it was always like that post battle to save the world.

Of course this one had gone well beyond the normal stopping of an apocalypse. The nurse knocked on the door before allowing Buffy to pass. Giles glanced up looking rather like he was about to pass out from exhaustion. "Hey you," She smiled closing the door behind her. He smiled back weakly. "How is Willow?" He asked as she came over to stand next to the bedside. "I saw her briefly. She's a wreck Giles. I don't know what's going to happen." He reached for her hand and took in a pained breath. "She's in pain now, there is nothing anyone can do to make it go away. You and I have both faced a similar situation before. Willow will need to find her way, make her own peace."

Buffy tugged his hand up and kissed his knuckles with a smile. "My level headed watcher." She rested his hand back down and cast a glance at the door. "I need to get Dawn home. Will you be all right?" He nodded at her. "Nothing I haven't had the pleasure of experiencing before." Buffy put her hands on her hips. "That is not even funny." He grinned and could not stifle a chortle. Buffy broke out into laughter and roughed his hair up. "I'll call when I get home. I'm glad your here." Giles leaned his head into her fleeing hand. "Wouldn't miss it."

Spike found his way to his old stomping grounds, kicked in his front door and laid out on the top of the gravestone slab. With a heavy sigh he wondered how he should go about it. "Best to drop by during the day. Slayer'd like that." Laughing he pulled his duster about him to ward off the cold. "Bloody freezing in here." He hadn't realized just what returning to the land of the living meant. Advantages and Disadvantages. All of which he was willing to endure...for her.

The doors of the emergency room opened and Dawn caught sight of her sister. "How is he?" "You know, same ol' Giles. Well minus the glasses. That and you never really saw the tweed phase." Buffy laughed before wrapping her arm around Dawn's shoulders. "Anya?" She said catching the attention of the vengeance demon. "Yes?" "Would you like to come stay at our place? You don't have to but you know, our house has got to be the best place in town." "I'd like that. We could eat popcorn and watch old movies." Anya nearly bounced out of her skin with happiness. Buffy clasped her hands together, "Well it's on then, slumber party."

LA

Fred sat on a park bench in front of Wes' old apartment. It was odd to think of it as such. He had just given it up not too long ago. Mainly because Fred was too busy blaming herself for his leaving. If she had not spent four hours staring at a door and then the phone and back again, he might not have left. She wanted to smack herself over the head with a sledgehammer for not even speaking with him. There was so much she wanted to tell him, so much he needed to understand. Now he never would.

Glancing away from the hotel she looked over at the shrub that she had found him in. Vividly recalling how pale he was. How his hand was clutched over his throat trying to stop the life from pouring out of him. His eyes had locked with hers as Gunn used the cell phone to dial 911. His focus was on her, alone. She had reached out and with a shaky hand she brushed the hair away from his eyes as Charles gave directions. Fred trailed her fingers across his cheek and over the hand that clutched his throat.

How long had he been there? She had wondered. How long had he gone unnoticed by anyone? His eyes went wide as her fingers moved between his, so much so that she ended up replacing his hand with hers. Gunn had hung up the phone quickly yelling something in her direction before running off towards his truck. Fred's gaze never left Wesley's. Her heart had been in her eyes in that moment, and his were practically screaming at her.

Everything after that had been a blur. The medics arriving and slowly replacing her hand with gauze. IV's beginning, vital signs taken. By the time they had Wesley in the ambulance he was nodding off from the lack of blood. Fred on the other hand had to be dragged to Gunn's truck and placed in the passenger seat. Her gaze wandering away from the ambulance to her blood stained hand.

Looking away from the shrub and out onto the street she found herself standing, she knew what she had to do. Running over to the pay phone she dialed "00" info. Once the operator picked up she had the information she needed. A taxi cab ride later she had one ticket to Sunnydale on the next Greyhound bus. It was the only place she knew to look.

Several hours later

Spike stepped out into the first rays of dawn. Yawning and squinting at the same time. Seeing the sun again was an added bonus but the bloody thing was annoying. He wanted to crawl back into his home, pull the duster over his head and watch Passions at least. There was much to be done however. Finding something suitable to live in, making the rounds, revealing his new found zest for life. Striking a match on his chin he lit his last cig and smirked. "Spike's home." He announced heading towards the closest gas station to feed his nicotine addiction.

Knock Knock Knock

Dawn grumbled and turned on the comforter that had been spread out before the TV last night. Anya was nearby with her arm tossed over her eyes. Buffy having opted for the large chair unraveled herself and made her way to the front door.

"Summers residence, do not rise before noon." She said wiping the sleep from her eyes before opening the front door. "Ooh, a thug. Daylight badness," She wondered at the man before her. The helmet came off and she nearly buckled over.

"Wes?" She asked in shock. He nodded slowly. She reached toward him and he stood stiff as a board in front of her. She took in the sight before her. Jeans, leather jacket, bike helmet. This was so not her ex watcher. It was then that she focused on the unkempt hair, the beard that was forming and the God almighty scar down his neck. Tears sprang to her eyes as she tentatively rested her hand over the scar.

"What happened?" She asked shakily as the girls started to stir. "Long story," He rasped. Buffy cringed and stepped aside allowing him to enter. Dawn and Anya sat up fully as Buffy offered Wesley her favorite chair. "Anya, Dawn, this is Wesley." Dawn grinned. "Wesley, as in kind of like Giles but much younger?" Buffy laughed at her sisters question.. "Nah, Wes is Wes but at one point yeah kinda like Giles."

Anya reached across to shake his hand. He's kind of cute, in that scruffy bad boy kind of way. What am I thinking?!?

Buffy leaned up against the coffee table and waited for Wesley to say something. He didn't seem to be of the forthcoming nature. Then it hit her. "Do you want some tea, Wes? I mean it's not great and all. I do have some though." Wesley smiled slightly. "Thank you, that would be most appreciated." His roughened voice sent shivers up Dawn's spine and Anya wanted to drool but kept it under control.

The two women watched him and he in turn watched them until Buffy brought the tea back. Tea for Wes, hot chocolate for Dawnie, some Sprite for the vengeance demon and water for the slayer.. "You will have to forgive me, it still hurts to speak" They all understood and listened, over the span of a few hours they heard it all. Buffy couldn't believe any of it. She really didn't want to believe it. How had everything gone so wrong? When had it started? Not to mention the wiggins that she got simply from the mention of Darla being the one that had been pregnant.

Wesley's head was hung and his tea had cooled. Buffy could understand everyone's point of view but had none of them even listened to Wesley? Seen how it ate him alive? No, he had been in the position she was in. When prophecies turned into either a painful reality or nothing but nightmares just like when she sent Angel to hell to keep Acathla from rising. Before that even, with the Master, her first prophecy and her death. Reaching across the gap she took Wesley's hand startling him slightly. "Hey, we all make mistakes. I am like Queen of them. You meant well Wes. Prophetic stuff always is a pain. No one ever knows what’s supposed to really be."

"Yeah, not like we haven't been in weird ville for months." Dawn chimed in. "Not to mention you know the major uber -Willow moments." Anya shook off. Wesley looked at each of them in turn. "What happened?" The three sighed and started to tell the story of the last few months.

Los Angeles

Angel stormed into the Hyperion looking like a drowned rat. Gunn eyed him curiously and took several steps back at the glare that the vampire displayed. "Talk?" He hazarded. "Cordelia, Goddess of another dimension!" Angel swung the refrigerator door open. "Thought everything would be fine!" He said waving his arms in the air as his head ducked down to search for breakfast before slamming the door closed. "Connor and Justine locked me in a little metal box and dropped me down to the ocean floor! Great view!"

Gunn couldn't believe it, it would certainly explain the lake forming in the kitchen beneath Angel's feet. "How did you get out?" He asked while Angel drained his glass. "Fishermen raised the thing. Got back to the sewers before I had to face burning to death." He grumbled before walking out of the kitchen towards the stairs. "So Connor and Justine are working together? Getting rid of you cause of Holtz?"

Angel snarled and at the top of the stairs slammed the door behind him. "Damn man. This just keeps getting better and better." Gunn walked back down the stairs and over to the phone, dialing Fred's cell. "Hi, you've reached Fred. Leave me a message cause I've got my phone off." **BEEP**

"Hey, it's me. Where are ya? I've been wondering where you disappeared to. Angels' back. Connor tried to kill him with Justine's help. He's pissed." Gunn had to pause a moment as a loud crash was heard from above. "Seriously pissed. Give me a call when you get a chance. Let me know what's going on. I don't want to think your in danger. Love ya." Gunn hung up and walked up the stairs to try and help his friend.

Sunnydale

Spike found himself standing on the doorstep of the slayer's home. This time it was in broad daylight, his duster not catching fire. Putting out his cigarette he knocked lightly and wondered if anyone was home. It was after all a Monday morning. Dawn would be at school, Buffy either asleep or at the Magic Box. He was turning to leave when the door opened.

"Spike?" Anya gasped in shock. "Hallo luv." He grinned. "Invite me in why doncha, I hate being out on the doorstep." Spike smirked. Dawn grinned happily. "Come on in Spike." "What?" Wesley asked Buffy in shock. "Longer story, trust me. Don't wanna hear it." Buffy told him pushing off of the floor just as Spike came thru the front door. Expecting a cloud of smoke around him she looked on curiously.

"What you never seen a reborn man before, pet?" Spike asked. He found himself against the wall instantly the thud jarring his bones. "Hey go easy, not so easy to heal anymore." Buffy hadn't felt her spidey sense go off. Something was definitely wrong. She sat Spike back down on his feet. He resituated his clothing and glared at her. "What do you want Spike?" Buffy folded her arms across her chest.

"I came to see the little bit. Thought she'd be in school so I came early. Kind of liken my new found freedom." Spike walked past Buffy and stopped short of greeting Dawn when he found the green eyes of Wesley staring thru him. "Hey, no one told me that the watcher was back." Spike turned around facing Buffy. "So when do I have to tell you what happens around here?" She pushed past him and stood near Wesley.

"Well, since you all are blind. I passed a few tests here and there and got my soul back. Funny thing a soul is, life returned all that. Somehow though I still feel like my old self. I just don't get the sunburn anymore." Dawn cheered and hugged him. "This is great! You can really go out now?" Spike nodded and flung the door open as everyone watched him spin around in a 360 on the front lawn.

While everyone stared on in shock, Spike smirked and Buffy slammed the door closed. "Slayer!" He called out and huffed away wondering what he would have to do. Scratching his blonde hair he sighed. There had to be something that would win her over. Buffy leaned up against the door with three pairs of eyes on her. "Was that a good thing or a bad thing?" She asked.

"Dunno." All three replied as one.

Outside Sunnydale

Fred awoke rubbing her eyes as the sunlight streamed into the overly large window next to her seat. She watched the grass become green and full of life. Not like the desert that she had been thru early on in the trip. She had thought about calling in to check on Angel and Gunn but they were big boys. They could handle themselves, besides it was not like she was a kid having to check in with her oppressive parents.

"We'll be in Sunnydale within the hour. Everyone get your things together." The driver announced.

Fred took hold of the ends of the pullover again and rested her hands in her lap. "Please, be there. Please." She whispered to herself as her forehead leaned up against the warming glass. She just needed one chance, anything could happen.

Sunnydale

The creaking of a door, the soft sounds of feet shuffling across cold floor. It was time for the morning ritual. How many fingers did he see? Headaches? How were his vitals? Same ol' same ol'. "When can I leave?" He asked the nurse becoming annoyed at having to once again put up with the antiseptic nightmare that was the ER. "When we say so Mr. Giles." The male orderly snarled at him. Giles grumbled and closed his eyes again.

His bed, a cup of tea and forty winks was all he really needed, though most of that was in England. There was a whoosh and as his eyes adjusted to the room again he was greeted with the beaming grin of his slayer. "Buffy." He smiled tossing aside his discomfort. "Is everything all right?" "For the citizens of Sunnydale or the superheros?'." She returned his affectionate gaze and took his hand in hers. Careful of the IV she caressed the back of his hand.

"What?" He asked tilting his head to the side as she sat down next to him. "There's been some changes since I saw you last night." Buffy brought her other hand to hold his between them. "What changes? Did something go wrong?" He panicked. "No, but well Spike is alive again. Don't ask and well Wesley came back." Buffy watched his eyebrow shoot up his forehead and the cute little line of worry appear between his eyebrows.

"I think I must hear about this, I would rather not have to deal with it here however..." Buffy paused him with a index finger to his lips. "I found a loop hole watcher-mine. You are being liberated as we speak."

"Well, I have to get to work. I think it will be quite today. With all that just happened last night. Everyone staying inside kind of thing." Anya said grabbing her purse from the small table next to the front door.

"Kewl, I will come by later. You know, do the study thing and think of what my excuse for calling in absent is going to be. Can't say my sisters best friend tried to destroy the world. It's as bad as my dog ate my homework."

Anya waved backward as Dawn closed the door leaving the young Summers girl with Buffy's ex-watcher. Some how he didn't seem anything like what Xander and the others had said. Then again she didn't really believe any of them as it was. Dawn figured that she better figure out everyone on her own. Like Spike, for instance. She liked Spike, didn't have a reason not too but the others hated him with a passion.

It was time to pry.

Dawn puffed out a breath of air and dropped down to sit on the coffee table in front of Wesley. "So, here we are. You and me and a big ol' empty house. What are we going to do?" She asked him. He looked at her blankly for a moment and she shrugged. "No questions? No urge to just spill anything? I understand, no one talks to me much anyways. They think I can't handle it."

Wesley frowned and for a moment he almost told her what was on his mind but backed off at the last moment. "I really should not stay here. I came to speak with Buffy before I left. I suppose that now is as good a time as any to take my leave." Wesley pulled out his keys and stood up. Dawn snapped to attention in front of him. "Buffy's not going to like this. She doesn't like it when people leave. She goes all silent on everyone." Dawn rested her hand on Wesley's forearm. "Don't leave, I mean why? We're cool with you being here."

Wesley shook his head. "You don't understand, Dawn. Wherever I go, trouble follows. It always has and will continue to do so." Wesley started for the door and Dawn cut him off. "Just say goodbye, please. Trust me, it's better than just disappearing. Everyone has done the el' disapero act this year and I don't think anyone can take another."

Wesley was indecisive. He knew the best thing would be to just hop on his bike and leave Sunnydale before his bad luck trailed him to this place, to the place where his remaining friends called home. Dawn's eyes however held the truth for Wesley in that moment. If he left, just as quickly as he came, it would do more harm than good. At least now a few people had heard his side of things. That was all he really ever wanted.

"I will give you this, take me to the shop, I will tell everyone goodbye there. It is all I can offer Dawn. I am truly sorry." Dawn felt her heart break and took his hand. "You wouldn't happen to have a helmet would you?" He grinned slightly. "I have a small pink one. If that’s acceptable?" Dawn beamed and locked the door behind him. "Lead on biker boy."

Anya dashed into the Magic Box to find the sign on the door saying that it was closed. She had used the excuse to go to work as her way to have a moment to herself but there was no work to be had. Other than a construction crew and a cleanup crew as well. Everything that she had worked so hard for went up in flames. Now there really was nothing for Anya to do other than to start sifting through everything on the floor, trying to salvage anything that was left.

It was then that she heard talk in the back, in the most damaged part of the Magic Box. What used to be Giles office and the training room. She slowly made her way back towards the voices picking up a nearby dagger from a shattered display case. It never hurt to be careful these days. The closer she got she breathed a sigh of relief, it was Giles and Buffy.

Buffy had no idea where the two of them could talk without the Scooby Gang under foot or Dawn yelling at her every five minutes for something she could do on her own. So they had ended up here, the back room of the Magic Box, what was left of it. After a few well placed tosses of fallen supports and a generous dusting the duo of Slayer and Watcher were sitting on the battered leather couch staring at the damage.

It had taken awhile for either of them to speak and when they had attempted to start a conversation they had both taken off together, much to their laughter a moment later. "So, you still think I don't need my watcher around? I think I did a pretty good job in convincing don't you think? You know, wrecked most of the town, got your shop destroyed. Give me a minute and I will think of something else to add to the list of reasons for you to stay and go into a Giles'ey lecture."

He smiled leaning back into the couch resting his head on the back, looking at the charred hole in the ceiling. "Buffy, none of that is important. It is just things, things can be replaced. What matters is that everyone is still well, or as well as can be expected." Buffy cringed at that thought. She thought about Willow instantly, her best friend was in so much pain she could almost feel it. Buffy wanted to help but she was not the one, Xander was. Always had been when it came to Willow.

"You know, Anya told me that Willow kind of played human yo-yo with you. Are you really all right? I mean, you weren't knocked unconscious again were you?" Giles rested his hand on her knee and tilted his gaze in her direction. "No, I was not incapacitated again. I am getting better with practice."

They both laughed until they heard movement out front. "And our silence is shattered number one." Buffy shook her head. "Oh! Reminds me," She bounced, he groaned. "Sorry." She immediately added with a frown. "Major weirdness going on at my house. First Wesley shows up and boy is that a story for the watcher's journals and then Spike shows up and get this. He's all human again. Don't know how, said there were some tests he had to go through. I saw him Giles walked right out onto the front lawn and just stood there. No flames, no spidey sense, nothing."

Giles sat up slowly and looked at his hands. "I do not know whether this is in the good or the bad column." "Neither do I." Buffy admitted leaning up against his shoulder. "Wesley though, I don't even know if it's my story to tell. It's pretty bad though." Giles was about to ask what had happened when Anya came dancing through the barely attached door with a twirling dagger in her hand.

"Come to help me clean up the place?" She asked them with a beaming smile.

"No!" They said in unison.

"Come on, I mean it was a kewl place before but I really have no idea how bad it's going to be. Giles is probably going to have a cow." Dawn rambled as she took the pink helmet off and placed it on the back of the bike as Wesley dismounted and hung his helmet off of the handlebar.

"I would assume that it would not be all that bad, Dawn." He then cleared his throat before continuing. "After all the library was destroyed before I even met Mr Giles and then of course the entire high school was leveled. I do think this is just a minor set back."

Dawn shook her head and opened the door. The bell barely ringing but Anya leapt from around the corner out of habit. "Man, not good." Dawn said glancing at the floor. "I know, there's not much that can be saved. Most of the books survived though. That's a good thing, well at least for Giles." Anya mentioned her shoes crunching the broken glass on the floor. "Be careful though, haven't had much of a chance to take a look around yet."

"Thanks Anya." Dawn grinned. "Buffy here?" She asked stepping over a half broken book case. "Yea, she's in the back with Giles. It's even worse back there. Hole in the roof, walls pretty much destroyed. It's not pretty." Anya took out a pad of paper and a pen and started making her list of things to do.

"Come on Wes." Dawn called for him as she rounded another mass of tangled wood. Wesley navigated his way through easily helping lift Dawn over a final obstacle before the two stepped into the back where Buffy was pacing in front of the couch where Giles was stretched out.

"Wes." Buffy said half shocked by his presence and the other part of her had been too busy pacing to notice that she had worked herself into a frenzy. He offered a slight smile and turned to find Giles' gaze on him instantly. "Mr. Giles." He acknowledged the older watcher. Giles sat up and regarded the young man for a moment. "Wesley. I truly wish that we were meeting again under different circumstances."

Dawn giggled and flopped down on the couch next to Giles. "Where's my hug? You know me, need the hug." Giles wrapped his arm around Dawn and drew her into an embrace which she promptly tried to burry herself in. "Careful, I'm still a bit sore." He whispered placing a kiss to the top of her head. "Sorry Giles." She sighed thankful that he was home.

Wesley stood speechless and then turned towards Buffy who was watching the scene with a far off expression. "Buffy?" He asked snapping her out of it. "Sorry, Wes. I'm still a little on edge with everything that's happened. Tara's death, Willow freaking, undead tree looking people, Spike all human again, my sister going all slayer."

Dawn perked up at that and Giles looked down into the young girls face. "I did. Swung the sword a few times, wasted some of the tree like people. It was way kewl." Giles grinned. "I would prefer you would never have to do such a thing but I am also proud of the way you handled yourself." Dawn's eyes watered and she fell back into her now claimed spot on his shoulder.

"Yea, she did a slayer proud. Sometimes I wish all of us had a vacation coming up or something. You know, all good guys who fight the good fight, one week vacation in Hawaii or someplace like that." Buffy found a chair and dusted it off handing it to Wesley and then moved to sit on the arm of the couch next to Giles. "Not like anyone would ever do that. I mean, Slayers are still the tool of the council and they fire the good watchers."

Giles and Wesley both flushed a little from the praise. "What are we going to do now?" Dawn asked sitting up and looking at those surrounding her. "Pick back up and start again like we always do after apocalyptical situations." Buffy tried to inflect humor in the situation. "Might not be that easy." Wesley added, all eyes now on him. "Wolfram and Hart are becoming stronger by the day. Los Angeles is slowly becoming the newly declared disaster zone."

Wesley took a few deep and slow breaths before continuing. He related the short version for Giles benefit and even tossed in the talking to the Hamburger to try and lighten the mood, it failed but at the same time everyone almost smiled. "So these lawyers are kind of like helping the guys we try to get rid of? How nice of them." Buffy growled. "Everything went downhill quickly after Darla's death. At this point the death count on both sides is still climbing and each side is jockeying for position."

"Then why am I here?" Buffy asked and then realized it. "Cause I'm not the active slayer, and I don't get along too well with the watcher council brass. You think they would have learned by now." Buffy tossed up her hands in exasperation. Giles rested his hand up on her thigh. "We can not continue to dwell on things we have no power to change. What is done is done." Giles focused his gaze on Wesley. "The future is all that matters now."

"Agreed." Wesley added as Anya came into the room scrawling notes. "Anya, dear." Giles caught her attention. "Yes boss?" "Take the day off, everything will be as it is now tomorrow." Anya was about to protest but enjoyed the idea of making the malls weekend sale. "I'll go shopping, need more shoes." She announced and took off. Wesley watched her leave and turned to the others. "Don't ask," Dawn, Buffy and Giles chorused.

Fred stepped off of the bus and took a look around. It was a small city, reminded her of home. She hadn't brought anything with her, she was a free woman, no baggage, well at least not the physical kind. Finding her way out to the street she realized that not too many people were out and about. Had to be the Hellmouth she had heard about since she started studying a few months back.

She stopped a police officer who was issuing a parking ticket to a nearby truck. "Excuse me, do you know where I can find Buffy Summers?" The cop laughed and shook his head pushing the pencil back into the spiral bound notebook. "That's an easy question to answer. There's a shop about three blocks down, called the Magic Box. She doesn't own it but she's there a lot. If not there try the Espresso Pump. Her and the people she hangs out with frequent there."

"Thank you." Fred shook the officers hand and then took off down the fairly empty streets making note of everything she saw. It was such a stark contrast to life in LA. Everything here was peaceful and also beautiful. Fred passed Sunnydale High School and then a few shops bumping into a rather rude blonde haired man near the Pick Kwik at the corner of Main and Sixth Street.

Getting her bearings she caught sight of the Magic Box and found that she couldn't cross the street. His bike was there, she had found him. Her feet rooted to the spot she was standing in. It was then that a long blonde haired woman came bouncing out counting money before getting into a beat up little brown car and driving off happily. Not too long after that a young girl with dark brown hair emerged walking backwards arguing about something.

Fred moved closer. "Oh come on Buffy, it would be fun." Dawn whined.

"Fun? Oh you so don't know what your asking." Buffy snorted as she stepped out onto the sidewalk and near the mailbox which Dawn was hopping up on. "Well, Giles doesn't have anything with him, his apartment is kind of not his anymore. Then you know Wes has nothing either. Well he brought more than Giles did, come on Buffy we have the space." Dawn pleaded.

"Dawn, really I will find a hotel to temporarily stay in. There is much that needs to be discussed." Giles mentioned as Wesley stepped out of the door and over to the girls while Giles locked the shop up. "No way!" Buffy and Dawn said at the same time. "All right, that's it." Buffy rolled her shoulders for a moment. "You two are staying with us. Why? Cause your both my favorite ex-watchers and even I can put up with the two of you for a little while."

Dawn cheered and leapt off the mailbox hugging Buffy who was startled by an affectionate display from her teenage sister. "I kind of like this." Buffy grinned. "Don't get used to it, momentary cease fire." Both Giles and Wesley smirked at that. "I do not want to impose in fact I really..." Wesley began but Buffy cut him off by resting a finger to his lips. "Shut up Wesley."

"Done." He mumbled.

"Kewl." Dawn grinned.

Giles shook his head. "So, where do we begin our newest adventure?" He asked the trio before him. "Well, since Anya went to the mall we are so not going there, best to stay out of her way." Buffy crossed her arms in deep thought. "Why don't we split up, you know tag team until we have everything we need?"

They all agreed that it was a brilliant idea.

"Ok here's the plan." Buffy began. "Wes and Dawn, you guys hit the grocery store. There is the four of us, I eat a lot though you probably can't tell. Besides, no tea in the house." Dawn giggled at that.. "Oh wait bad idea." Buffy realized and they looked to her. "Wes doesn't have a car." "Ah.." They all muttered. Giles tossed Wesley the keys to his rental car which was parked a few blocks over.

"Bring it back in one piece, please?" He teased. Wesley tossed him the keys to his bike. "Try not to wreck it, it's all I have." Giles nodded silently and Dawn grumbled about not being able to ride on the bike but happily went off with Wesley. Buffy shoved her hands into her pockets. "So watcher-man, looks like we are left with the Hog and needing to buy you something to wear, house type stuff too."

Giles walked over to Wes' bike and sat down. "Why don't we take care of the house first and then we can drop off everything before I am subjected to your fashion since?" Buffy growled at him with her hands on her hips. "Watch it mister. Just cause your injured doesn't mean I won't throttle you, good."

Giles pulled the helmet off the handlebar and strapped it on as Buffy settled behind him chuckling as she strapped on the pink helmet. "Girly. Very girly." she commented finding a place for her feet and then wondering what in the world she was going to do now. Slowly she wrapped her arms around Giles waist and felt him stiffen for a moment before relaxing.

"Ready?" He asked.

"Ready." She replied nervously but one of her long standing dreams was about to come true, flying down the highway with Giles on a Harley Davidson. As the bike rumbled Buffy tightened her grip mindful of his ribs and glowed as they began their short trip over to the nearby Target store.

Fred watched everyone leave and then found her feet again. What was going on? Wesley was apparently staying here? Staying with Buffy? Nothing made since. Hailing a cab from a pay phone a block away she asked the driver to take her to the nearest grocery store. Maybe she would be able to find him, talk to him for a moment. What would she say? The entire ride over to the Albertsons she spaced. It wasn't until the whoosh of the entrance doors admitted her that she had any coherent thought.

Fred walked slowly down the front of the store peering down aisles searching for Wesley and finding nothing. That was until she heard some debate in the cereal aisle. "Hey, it's better than what I have been eating. Trust me. Buffy won't mind." Dawn tried to talk her way into getting Trix. "I do not think anything really matters. As long as it is edible," Wesley commented "Stay here Wes. I need to go get some things and I'll be right back." Dawn started to run off. "All right." He replied his gaze finding the boxes of tea on the shelf as he looked them over he wondered how he had gotten sucked into staying in Sunnydale.

He would have to leave, soon. He didn't want to push his luck. His cell phone rang, his hand pulling out just as he wished that the power had run out, or that he had remembered to leave it behind. Looking at the caller id he leaned his head against the shelving. "Will she ever leave me alone?" He asked no one in particular as he turned the phone off and slid it into his pocket. "Who?" He heard from behind him.

Wesley stepped back his eyes coming to rest on Fred. He blinked several times as if she were an apparition in front of him. Either his mind was playing tricks on him or the bottle of vodka was finally catching up. "Who Wes?" She took a step towards him as he took a step backward until there was no where for him to go. "Who?" She asked again. "Why are you here?" He asked rather snippy. "Answer me first." She told him now standing directly in front of him.

"Lilah Morgan." He answered unable to look at her. "Lilah? What in the world does she want with you?" Fred asked a million ideas flowing through her mind at once. "You didn't answer my question." He replied finding his shoes rather interesting. "I came here to find you, to talk to you." "About what?" He asked. "You didn't answer my question now." She tossed back at him. "Lilah wants me to work for her firm, Won't take no for an answer." Fred reached out and rested her hand against the angry scar on his neck. "I came to talk to you, really talk to you. Here's not the best place."

"I don't know." He replied even though his body betrayed him, his neck leaning into her hand. "Just give me a little time Wes. If you want me to leave then, I will go." Fred almost choked on her last words. Wesley looked up into her eyes and nodded as Dawn came around the corner. "Ack!. I can never get away from this kind of stuff." Wesley stood upright and turned to face Dawn. "Ready? Have to arrive before they get home. Otherwise we will never hear the end of it." Dawn glanced warily in the direction of the woman before walking ahead of him.

"Wes?" Fred asked as he started to push the cart down the aisle. "Go home Fred. It's better that way." He turned the corner and Fred sagged up against the oatmeal display. "No, it's not."

"This is going to be difficult." Buffy grimaced looking over towards the household items in the Target. "You know, we could abandon the current plan and devise another." Giles came up to stand next to her as she tilted her head in his direction. "What? Not do what we set out to do? That would be a first. I just don't honestly see how we can do anything without a car. I mean we could take Wes' bike home and then get a cab but I kind of like riding around on a Harley with my watcher."

Giles blushed slightly and Buffy didn't help matters when she smiled knowingly at him. "All right, I can't take it anymore. You and I are going to do nothing, well maybe buy you some clothes. I think all I have hidden away is your tweed jacket and that horrible lime green checkered shirt." Even Giles cringed at the thought of it. "No more tweed guy, I miss it sometimes but you are definitely studly being all comfortable guy." Buffy's eyes went wide. "I so said that out loud didn't I?"

Giles nodded feeling a bit of embarrassment but intrigued at the same time. "I'm studly?" He asked in a low voice taking her hand and walking them out of the shopping traffic. "Well...um....yea....you always have been in the Giles sort of way." Buffy was unbelievably nervous, she could feel her heart racing and her mind throwing up the, do not go there signs. Just about as bad as her reaction had been when she was brought back to the land of the living and Giles had come into the shop bear hugging her. "Giles, can we get out of here for awhile? Go somewhere, you and me?"

Giles nodded as Buffy rounded a corner. Resting his hand on the small of her back she leaned back against him as they walked through the automatically opening doors. With one glance to the sky they noticed the dark clouds forming and realized that there were few options to be had. "We'll take Wes' bike home, put it in the garage, maybe you can get the car to start and we can figure out where to go if it works." Giles sat down on the bike and Buffy immediately settled behind him. "Sounds like a plan." He said before the rumbling of the bike overturned conversation.

Fred had called a cab from the grocery store. There was one room left at the Red Roof Inn down the street from the mall, the center of the shopping Mecca of Sunnydale. Locking the door behind her she tossed the keys to the table and fell back on the bed with a troubled expression. Reaching into her pants pocket she pulled out her cell speed dialing her voicemail box.

Three messages from Gunn, each one becoming more desperate. Then came the worried phone call from her parents, she cringed. Gunn had called them, concerned, now her parents were upset and wondering if something bad had once again happened to their only daughter. Fred erased the messages and stared at her phone for a moment before dialing the one number she needed to call, her parents.

Anya was pushing packages into the trunk of her car when her purse fell to the asphalt scattering it's contents. She knelt down cursing in several non human languages as her things stopped rolling away and she was able to start shoving them back in. A pair of black boots came into view. "Need help?" He asked kneeling down in front of her.

"Spike?" Anya asked in shock forgetting that Spike was now apparently non vamp. "This takes some getting used to. The polite thing, not the non vampire thing. Trust me, I had to deal with the non demon thing. You get used to it after awhile. It's not really all that bad." "I will take your word for it luv. Got to keep my wits about me now though. Baddies are gonna find out that I ain't exactly the man of steel anymore."

Anya actually found that funny as Spike handed over everything he had managed to gather up before the wind pushed it toward a nearby storm drain. "Thank you. Your quite handy." Anya stood and Spike bounced up from his stooped position. "Chivalry ain't dead and neither am I. Catch ya' later. Things to do, people to annoy." Spike waved as he walked away leaving Anya watching his retreating back. "What is he up to?"

"Try it now!" He called out.

The engine sputtered. She grumbled and sounded defeated. He went back to working on the disaster that was the Summers Jeep. After it's encounter with old age and not having anyone who really knew what to do with it, it had seen better days. Giles swiped at his brow with his shirt sleeve. A few more tweaks and he stepped away from the hood.

"Try it now, Buffy." He leaned against the wall behind him. Buffy said a silent prayer to the gods. She closed her eyes and turned the key. Once again a failure, Giles shook his head, he had tried his best. Buffy snorted and slammed her fist down onto the dash board, the car turned over and started making happy sputtering noises.

"All right! One for the Slayer!" Buffy cheered hopping out of the car and hugging a very shocked and sweaty Rupert Giles. "I shall remember this the next time you ask for my assistance in gutting a jeep." Buffy laughed and thunked her head to his chest with a heavy sigh. "Let's get out of here Giles." "Give me a moment." He smiled down at the top of her head. "Hurry." She pleaded before dashing back over to the jeep.

Giles tossed the oily rag onto the washing machine and went inside the house to clean up as best he could under the circumstances. He ran his now clean hands thru his hair, staring at his reflection in the mirror. "You know this is quite insane." He told his reflection. "It has to be different this time." He voiced his resolution before walking back to the garage where Buffy was strapped into the passenger side barely sitting still. "Ready?" He asked getting in and fastening his belt. "Tear out of here. Any direction as long as it's just out."

Buffy flipped the switch to the garage door opener. As it raised she glanced over her shoulder noticing that the rental car was coming towards them. As Giles reversed Buffy held up her hand to signal Wes to stop. Once the jeep was out of the driveway much to Dawn's shock the car pulled up beside it. "We figured that shopping wasn't going to happen on the bike. Just getting going guys. Don't get into too much trouble." Buffy grinned before tapping the console and Giles took off down the street.

Dawn laughed and Wes pulled the rental car into the garage shutting the door by pressing the button near they interior house door. "I never thought I'd say it but I am so glad that weird things happen to me. I am actually happy for the first time in a long time." Dawn opened the trunk and starting taking out bags as Wesley came over. "This place has been like gloom central since Willow resurrected my sister. Now things seem like they are getting back to normal. Well normal for Sunnydale." Wesley merely nodded and followed Dawn into the house with the bags.

Xander sat next to the bed in his lounge chair watching over Willow as she slept. There would be no sleep for the young man however. Life just wasn't fair, never fair to Willow. His best friend had been hurt so much, lost so much. He was bitter, he found himself wanting to cuss the powers that be out with a passion. How could things like Tara's death keep happening? This last year had sucked on so many levels. His phone rang and he mumbled as he picked it up.

"Yea." He said as Anya filled him in on what had happened today and he listened to it all continuing to watch Willow grimace in her less than restful slumber. "How is she?" Anya asked. "Destroyed." Xander breathed feeling his heart rip along with Willow's.

"No, I am fine." Fred insisted. She listened to her father and mother begging her to come home. To get out of Angel Investigations, go back to doing what she was meant to do. She listened but not really paying attention. "No, mom and dad. I'm doing what's best for me. I only wanted to call you and let you know I was all right. That's the best I can do." That didn't go over well as both of her parents began to rail her about where she was, what she was doing, how she was going to continue on with this lifestyle she got sucked into.

"I know y'all mean well, I really do. I have to do something. It's important. After that, I don't know. Just let me be for awhile. I promise to call if something comes up. I really do love you both. I have ta go. Bye mom, dad." She hung up the phone and felt tears start to fall again. What was she going to do? She had no plans. There was only the need to settle something. To figure things out. Everything else took a back seat.

Los Angeles

Angel had taken to sitting in a darkened corner of his room, Gunn hardly being able to even see him other than the cold stare that was evident in the low lighting of the room. Angel had not said much after calming down hours after breaking about half of the pottery on the second floor. There was even a sizable hole in the wall of one of the guest rooms. Now there was nothing but the sound of Gunn's slow breathing and Angels rapping of his fingers on the wood paneled floor.

England

"He went back?"

"Yes. He is there now."

"I thought it was clear that no one was to tell him of the situation with the slayer."

"You did sir. No one spoke anything to Mr.Giles. However, he is there as is another."

The group gathered opened the files on the laptop. They projected onto the wall in front of them. "As you can see this is what we are dealing with." One man began standing up with a pointer and shining it on the left side of the screen.

"In Los Angeles we have Wolfram and Hart growing ever stronger by the day. The Powers chosen one has been sulking within the confines of the Hyperion Hotel with the bald one here." He pointed at a picture of Charles Gunn. "Ah yes the hunter." Another chimed in.

"Quite right." The man continued before opening up the other folder and with a deep breath continued. "At the moment Willow has been neutralized. Spike has been given back his soul, the problem currently is that we now have the key, the slayer and not only Rupert Giles in Sunnydale but just arriving recently was Wesley and after him the girl known as Fred has arrived as well."

Silence fell over the room. "We must nip this in the bud before it beings."

Sunnydale

"I kinda like this one." Buffy brought over the last of what the house needed so that they can at least have spent sometime on doing their required tasks. Exactly a warp speed trek through the aisles of the store tossing in things as they went. Through checkout they watched to make sure that nothing came up missing. Giles used his credit card and they shoved the bags into the back of the jeep before sitting in silence for a moment.

"So, we have everything you guys need for awhile. You have some clothes. I guess mission accomplished." Buffy spoke leaning her head back onto the rest and watching Giles across the short space between them. "At least I hope we have everything, is there someplace you would like to go?" He watched her muddle things over and then she beamed a Cheshire cat grin in his direction. "How about ice cream? You know, go to Friendly's and make some God awful monstrosity."

"Done." Giles grinned turning the key in the ignition and they were at the restaurant in no time at all. Buffy sliding into the booth kicking her feet up and Giles sitting across from her as they looked over the menu. They flipped through toppings and flavors tossing out ideas and shooting down some of them but laughing the entire time. Finally the settled on vanilla ice cream covered in hot fudge, nuts, m and m's and whip cream to top it all off. As the confectionary disaster was being created they found the silence stretching between them.

"I missed you." Buffy broke the silence with a serious tone in her voice. "I missed you as well. Do you find that sometimes you long to be back in the days when things were simple? Back when everyone was still rather green and oblivious to the dangers around them." Buffy nodded and Giles sat back on the bench. "I have quite a bit of time to think while in England. I thought that by returning to England I might be able to speak to the other watchers, explain to them about the things that most of them have not even faced outside of the guarded walls of the main office."

Buffy cringed thinking of Giles being at Watcher Central. She didn't trust any of the lot. Wesley had been oblivious when he had been assigned as her watcher, the council always trying to get rid of Giles. It was as if they really didn't want the slayers to succeed Buffy made herself take a moment to calm down. "I don't like the idea of you hanging out around them Giles. I know they are there but I never want you around them again. I get this vibe that I don't like."

Giles reached across the table for Buffy's hand and was stopped by the arrival of the ice cream. They thanked the young man for depositing it on the table for them and then waited till he vanished before making another move. This time each picking up and elongated spoon and watching each other, holding a silent conversation. "Giles?" "Yes?" He plunged his spoon into the ice cream. "Can I ask you something?" "Of course." He brought the spoon to his lips and cleaned it off in one bite.

"You think they will do anything about this? About everyone being here? I don't want to have to fight them again. I don't want to have to choose anyone over anyone else again but I so see it coming. Like impending doom. I don't want to loose anyone else. I am just getting used to things again." Buffy's muffled voice struck Giles hard. Placing his spoon down this time his hand did find hers. "Buffy, look at me."

She did as he asked with nervous eyes meeting his that were steadfast. "I will not leave you again. Nothing will take me from you again. Certainly not the council." "But they will..." She fretted. "Ssh..." He whispered caressing the back of her hand with his thumb. "We will be ready for them. For now you and I are going to put away all these calories and then we are going to go home." Buffy smiled squeezing his fingers gently. "Finally."

"Wes! I'm going over to Maggie's to study! Buffy knows!" Dawn dashed down the flight of stairs. "Later!" She slammed the front door before he was even able to turn around and ask particulars. Having nothing to do but stare at the furnishings he started when there was a knock at the door. He shook his head in amusement. Reaching for the keys on the table next to the door he opened the front door. "Forgot your keys, Dawn?" He asked and then found himself falling head long into the brown eyes before him.

"Fred." He whispered, his hand falling to his side in defeat. "Can I come in?" She asked uncertainly. He thought for a moment to force her to leave. Instead he stepped aside allowing her to pass. "Is anyone here?" She asked as he walked past her after locking the door. "No. Giles and Buffy are out, Dawn just left." He stood in the living room with his back to her. "Can we talk?" She asked stepping behind him. His head sank, his chin touching his chest. "I suppose. It is why you are here."

Los Angeles

Gunn found that with Angel in angst overkill, no Cordelia and Lorne off downtown somewhere that he was all alone with nothing to do other than going out solo hunting yet again. Fred’s parents had called him a little concerned. Apparently Fred was being cryptic to her parents and not just him. “What’s going on?” He had asked himself several times that day. Nothing had happened, as far as he knew. With nothing but time on his hand Gunn started to walk the streets of LA in search of his wayward girl.

“We’ve got problems.” Justine said entering the hotel room, tossing junk food on the bed and scaring Stephen half out of his mind. “What now? I mean compared to the other dimension this is nothing.” He picked up some Doritos and started to munch away. “Angel isn’t visiting Davy Jones right now. He’s at the Hyperion.” “You told me that your plan would work!” Stephen thundered dropping the chips into his lap. “I thought it was flawless. We have to get out of here.” She started gathering their things. “Don’t you get it?” Stephen said as calm as ice. “No matter where we go, he will find us.”

England

“It is done.” The message came over the direct satellite feed. “By this time tomorrow another slayer will be called. You have my word on that.” The young man shifted his tie as the others nodded around the table. “It was meant to be this way. The Americans are unstable. Trouble some lot.” Travers spun his chair around cutting the signal off. “Faith will be taken care of within the day. As for the others, everyone knows the itinerary?”

With several nods, laptops closing almost in unison the watchers smiled sickly at each other. “I may have made a deal, I never did agree to the length of time.” Travers voice boomed as grins became wide swept. In a matter of a few days there would be no more resistance. Faith would be neutralized, Buffy would follow. Beyond that it was time for two of their own ranks to face judgment, the sentence all ready having been decided.

Sunnydale

Buffy had Giles drive out to the beach, the one where the red skinned freaky demons had set up shop last summer. It was like attack of the over cooked fish people. Buffy smiled recalling everyone’s reaction to the creatures and their even better reactions after Buffy started decimating them left and right. With the giggles Buffy unbuckled her belt as Giles parked the jeep just on the decline of the sand. “Rather quiet night. I have to say, I am not certain I could get used to this.”

“No, I don’t think I could either. I mean, no disasters to advert? No bad guys to ruin my dinner plans? Would really get boring.” Buffy leaned up against Giles shoulder as he settled his arm around her. The silence stretched out for long moments, nothing but the gentle sound of lapping waves, an occasional cricket chirping away. Giles rested his cheek to the top of Buffy’s head just as she rested her arm about his waist with a faint smile crossing her normally gloomy features. “When did we get all cuddly?”

Giles chortled bringing his free hand around to cover her arm with his. They were in fact acting a little more snuggly than was necessary. “It might have a little to do with yet another life threatening situation to the both of us. In fact, I was certain that if Willow had not attempted to take the magic from me, I would have ended up very much unconscious or worse.” Buffy cringed and held onto him tightly. “Well, Dawn and I thought we were toast too. It was really horrible Giles. It was Willow but not Willow. Besides the creepy underground people are still creeping me out.”

Giles found himself absently caressing her bare arm as the wind picked up from the ocean. The breeze pleasant after the sweltering heat but Buffy had not exactly been dressed for any outdoor activity. In fact she was almost shivering. “Do you want to go back to the house?” He asked shifting from his cheek to his chin. “No, I can deal.” Buffy said rather unconvincingly. Giles sat up, Buffy moved away as he pulled his coat off and wrapped it around her. She smiled as if he had just made her century before leaning back into his waiting arms.

“We always end up like this you know.” She thought aloud. Getting a mumbled response from him in return. “Something always goes wrong, we almost die, then we end up sitting somewhere in a car pretending like it will all go away if we don’t talk about it.” Buffy made far more sense than Giles had expected, in fact he would have rather not had it brought up. “What do you want to talk about, Buffy?”

“You and Me, teacher and student, best friends...” She paused a moment before sitting back up and waiting for his eyes to find hers. “Watcher-mine.” He smiled looking down slightly with a small smile. Buffy decided that it was now or never. She had him all to herself, no demons around, reaching for his hand she caught his attention again. He was making this hard for her. One look from him and she’d melt every time. Looking down at the calloused hand she held Buffy placed it over her beating heart. “My Giles.”

Fred had worked everything out before she had arrived at the Summers’ residence but now, sitting in the living room of the slayer, across from the man she had thought all but gone from her life, she was lost as to where to begin. Wesley for the most part would not even cast a glance in her direction ever since they had sat down. He seemed to want to just fall through a hole in the floor. As if the world should just open up beneath him and he would be great full.

“Wes?” She asked trying to catch his attention. When he would not look at her she decided that he at least was listening. “I’m sorry.” She began. “I’m sorry I didn’t fight harder. I know I was mad the last time I saw you. I wasn’t really mad, hurt yes but never in a million years did I ever want to just disappear out of your life all together.” Wesley’s hands started to turn a nice shade of white where he found himself stressing out his fingers.

“I know, I know what happened that day. The day those nasty things came through the portal with Connor. No one knew what to do. Only you, you helped me when no one else could, again.” Fred found that it was getting more difficult to speak with him as her voice began to quiver with the pent up emotions that fueled them. “I understand, I did then. I tried to make everyone see. They are stubborn you know. I know I haven’t been the best of a friend. I just didn’t know what to do, if you would want to see me at all.”

Wesley shifted in his seat and Fred called it a small victory in her troubled mind and heart. Would he understand? Would he hate her for it? “Wes, I didn’t come here to lecture you on what happened. Not even to yell at you about one of a million things.” Fred got to her feet and walked across to the chair he was sitting in. Kneeling in front of him she tried to get him to look at her, he would not.

“I came because I didn’t want to be away from you any more. I missed you, a lot. I mean more than that. I was miserable with out you around. I don’t want to try and talk you out of what ever you were going to do. I just…I want to…would you tell me where you are? Just so I know you are all right?” She swiped at her eyes with the sleeve of the pullover. Her heart stopped beating, realizing that the damage had already been done. He didn’t want to be her friend any longer.

She was about to leave with what little strength she had left in her when she felt his forehead lean forward and touch hers. “Fred, I don’t want to hurt anyone any longer. It is always there. No matter what I do, the people I love always end up paying some sort of price in the end. Intentional or not.” She brought her hands up to rest against his bearded cheeks. “You can’t think that, Wes. You are a good man, so you made a mistake. Everyone’s made mistakes. I have already forgiven you. You just have to forgive yourself.”

Los Angeles

Gunn had given up. He had checked every Taco Bell, every 24/7 store in the area and found no sign of Fred. There was only one place left, a place he didn’t want to even go to. He had to know though, find out if what he was thinking was true. Arriving at the apartment he found his way to the office. “Hey, you seen Fred?” He asked Anne. “Oh yea, she was here awhile back. Haven’t seen her since though. She got here just after your British friend left. She didn’t look to happy about it. Don’t know much beyond that I’m afraid.” Gunn gave the old woman a warm smile. “Naw, thanks for the info.” Tapping the desk he walked out and stared skyward. So, Wesley bailed, Fred was upset. He knew that she cared about Wes but would she chase after him? That had to be it but where would either one of them go?

Angel had long since given up destroying furniture. The poor defenseless cushions were not what he wanted to tear apart. He wanted to start with Justine. The woman had started it all. Turned friends against each other, taken his son to a hell dimension. The list just kept on growing with her. He would deal with his son in time but for now, Justine had a date with a very angry water logged vampire.

Sunnydale

What was there to say? Was he misreading her? Was he not reading enough into it. Her fingers had long since moved in between his as he felt her heart slamming underneath his hand. He had to be right, but was it right? He was about to find out the answer to a long suffering question. “Am I?” He asked her, hardly able to even ask the words. Tears sprung to Buffy’s eyes. “Yes. More than you know. I don’t know how to explain it. You know, I had the jealousy thing down. I even had the be the strong one act down for awhile but I never put two and two together. Told ya, I am relationship dense.”

Buffy tried to laugh but all she could manage was a nervous hiccup. “You don’t have to say anything. Or you could freak out on me and never come back to Sunnydale. That would be major depressing but I’d deal. I just…it is this stupid near death experience stuff. Well fine, if I am gonna get all misty eyed and sound like an idiot I might as just say it.”

Buffy brought Giles hand up to rest against her cheek. “Giles, don’t wig out on me but…” She reached across and rubbed his cheek with her thumb. “I love you. I have for a long time but I didn’t want to freak you out.” His eyes were doing that piercing gaze that always made her freeze up. “Giles? Say something.” He blinked several times before a loud gasp of air could be heard before his arms flew about her. She held onto him as tightly as she dared without cracking a few ribs with her slayer strength. “Oh Buffy, you don’t know how long I have wanted to hear that.”

“Wait! I need to leave a message.” Dawn snagged her purse like backpack, fished for her cell and brought up the phone book. The phone rang at home and went unnoticed till the machine picked up. “Summer’s residence, Dawn and Buffy either out or asleep leave a message will ya?” Dawn chuckled and waited for the beep.

beep, beep, beep

“Hey guys, the Richardson’s want me to go with them out to Stoneybrook and have some fun. I know, I was the one that suggested everyone live together and I already bailed but I’ll make it up to you guys. I’ll bring back cheap stuffed animals. Don’t get into too much trouble while I’m gone. I know that’s a lot to ask but I thought I’d say it anyways. Later Wes, Love you Giles, and I promise not to cause too much trouble pinky promise Buffy. Bye!” Dawn turned around to see her best friend leaning in the doorway. “Who are the guys? You never mentioned guys living at your house. Are they cute?” Dawn bounced up with phone still in hand. “Uh-huh, they’re from England.”

Spike had nothing really to do, new apartment secured, nicotine addiction under control, maybe he could get in a little slaying time. Just to see if he could still handle it without his “super powers.” Snorting with laughter he came upon a fledgling vampire, dirt still adorning the horrible looking floral shirt that the poor sap had been buried in. “Mate, what a disaster.” The vampire turned, intent on getting his first snack of the evening. “You sure you want me? After all I’m not much other than bone at the moment. Oh you do, great game face there, if you want it, come and get it.”

“I wanted to tell you, just didn’t know if it was the right thing to do.” Buffy tried to explain even though she didn’t know where to begin. “I thought it would be best to just ignore it and you would be fine. You would continue on, same as always. Then you left and I really wanted to bang my head against the wall.” The wind picked up a little and Buffy shivered again. “I have bad karma. I didn’t want you to get hurt again. Then I realized you would any way. Even if I wasn’t around, you would still get hurt so I decided to say the hell with it.”

“Buffy has spoken?” Giles laughed. “I suppose I have. Not like any one ever listens.” Buffy laughed in return. Giles turned contemplative for a moment before finding his voice, clearing a few stutters which Buffy found beyond adorable. “I left, I thought I was holding you back. That you didn’t need me any longer.” He took in a deep breath resting his head back against the seat, his eyes holding Buffy’s. “You are right you know, I think I was as miserable as you have been. Like I had been missing a part of myself, if either of us is the human yo-yo, it would be you.”

Buffy’s brow furrowed and then she understood. “I guess I was. Dead, not dead, dead, not dead,” she shrugged off. “I thought that when I discovered the prophecy with the Master that I could not allow your death to come about, I would have stopped it had you not successfully rendered me unconscious.” Buffy giggled and rubbed her poor watcher’s cheek. “Oh, so it’s all right for you to go off the deep end and try to get yourself killed all the time, I think not. I hate when you do that. It’s really noble but insane.” He turned and placed a kiss into Buffy’s palm. “These last few months have been trying for both of us. You had to deal with the aftermath of Willow’s spell.”

Buffy was still reeling from the moment when Giles kissed her hand innocently. “Well, yea. I’m not bitter though. I was, but not anymore.” The wind was really beginning to pick up, interfering with the long overdue conversation. “I had to watch my slayer die again. I didn’t want to believe the others, I knew how impossible it was yet I could not stay away. I had another chance.” “To tell me how I am suppose to plunge and move on?” Buffy laughed nervously. “Possibly, I really should take my own advice.” “Well yeah. Can’t be contradictory you know. Oooh, a Giles word.”

Giles laughter rumbled much as the sky above them began to show life, the storm coming. “Before we are entirely drenched and I loose my nerve.” Giles brought Buffy’s hand to rest over his heart, in the same fashion Buffy had done earlier. “I love you, my Buffy.”

The thunder clapped outside startling the pair in the living room of Buffy’s house. Neither had moved for quite awhile. Fred jumped again when then noise outside became menacing. Wesley reached up with his left hand, he rested it on her shoulder giving it a slight squeeze. “You don’t care for thunder do you?” Fred laughed nervously. “No, never have. Not when I was little, didn’t like it much in Pylea either, it was really creepy there. Oh and LA, I always thought something was going to jump out and get me. I really, really hate storms.”

Fred was about to bolt, do something, anything to occupy her time. Wesley found her trembling hand and stilled her fingers with his hand wrapping around the digits. “Why don’t we set about making dinner? Since we appear to have been left to our own devices, it would give us something to occupy the time with.” Fred stood up with Wesley following a moment later, not surrendering his hand they walked into the back of the house wondering what they could cook.

Flipping on the light they were looking through the cabinets when a loud rumbling noise, and a brief flash of light came from outside. Fred jumped out of her skin as the power to the house popped off instantly. Wesley instinctively pulled Fred into his arms, whispering to her softly. When he realized what he was doing he released her immediately, looking for the back up candles, flashlights, busying himself with the typical power outage procedure.

Fred on the other hand was riveted in place. She watched Wesley move about the kitchen trying to find something so they would not be ensconced in darkness. Food was certainly not an option now. Walking over to the island in the center of the kitchen she started pulling open drawers one by one until she found something that had little promise but it was something. “Aim n’ Flame.” Giggling caught Wes’ attention. Fred wielded her little torch gaining a slight smile from the stoic Brit. Turning back to the drawer he had been opening he found a small flashlight, barely the size of a stick. “It is something, at least.”

“Giles?” Buffy asked not finishing her sentence. She wondered if he could hear her heart slamming wildly against her chest. He wondered if she could tell how nervous he truly was at the moment. If they crossed this line, nothing would ever be the same. Their all ready difficult lives only becoming more complicated with time. People would judge, the threats of the Hellmouth still existed. Did any of it really matter? Could the outside world keep them from at least taking hold of the very thin shred of happiness that they both so desperately wanted?

Touching his forehead to hers, she ran her hand under his and up around to the back of his neck, the other hand seeking out his. Not the most comfortable place to be attempting their first kiss, like it mattered at all when his lips met hers in a gentle kiss. A charge of electricity snapping between them much like the air crackled about them. A simple kiss turning into several more as they traded off kiss after kiss until they could not withstand the urge to drown in each other. Giles sought to deepen their kiss, Buffy instantly accepted, as the first touch of their tongues they both made similar sounds somewhere within them as rain began to fall about them.

Outside Sunnydale

“Damn! Of all nights!” Gunn smacked at his dirty wind shield until it fell forward. The wipers having only made the window streak far worse than it had been before he had turned them on. Now the ran covered his dashboard but at least he was no longer blind. The sign was coming up, the one he had been waiting for, hours ago. Sunnydale 30 miles, he would be there in less than a half hour, then he would get some answers.

Sunnydale

“Ok, now this is really becoming tiresome.” Spike whirled around with a stake in his hand, “I had been hoping to be home before it hit.” He charged the vampire, ramming the stake home before pulling it back quickly. Waving a bit as the dust picked up in the wind and rain. “At least I don’t have to worry about washing it off.” Twirling the stake for a minute he plunged it back underneath his duster, pulling the garment over his head before running through the park towards his home.

Xander hopped up on his chair to shut the window so that the rain didn’t seep in. Willow had finally stilled and was sleeping soundly. Climbing back down to her side he sat next to her running his fingers through her hair. His anger was subsiding only to be replaced with a well of hurt that seemed to have no bottom. They were quite a pair, neglectful parents, relationship disasters seemed to be drawn to them. It must be just a Scooby thing. Buffy, Willow and himself, destined to be all that they had.

“This isn’t so bad.” Fred said stumbling her way back to the couch in the living room. “Mini flashlight and a giant match, I hope the power comes back on soon.” Fretting, she pulled her feet up onto the couch as the rain began to pour outside. Wesley paced for a moment before coming over and sitting next to her. She instantly leaned against him and he realized for the first time just how frightened she was.

“It will be all right, Fred. Nothing’s going to happen.” He tried his best at comforting without really overstepping any bounds. The thunder clapped again and Fred started horribly. He wondered what would frighten her so, what had happened. He found his arms wrapping around her, feeling her tremble against him. Whatever it was certainly had unsettled her quite a bit. He wanted to ask, now was not the time. Wesley kissed the top of her head as she started to settle down. The sounds of rain pounding on the roof and the nearby windows was the only sound at the moment.

Fred sighed snuggling into Wesley’s side hoping he would not push her away. She missed him fiercely. “Wes?” Her voice so soft that he had to strain to hear her, “Yes?” She turned in his arms and placed a kiss to the underside of his jaw. “Thank you.” He flushed and was thankful for the black out. “Y-your welcome.” He smiled brushing a stray lock of hair away from her eyes. They were staring at each other intently when the comfortable silence was shattered by a pounding on the front door.

“Dawn.” Wesley told Fred, “Her keys.” Fred nodded moving away from him so that he could stand. There was a noise at the far end of the house that caught his attention. He motioned for Fred to stand. “Somehow I do not think this is Dawn. How I have missed the Hellmouth.”

“I hate California.” Gunn muttered shaking off the mud from his shoes, shaking off the water from his coat. He ran a hand over his frozen scalp before knocking on the door once more. Finding no one to be answering the door he decided to make a trip around the back and make sure that they just weren’t in the back half of the house. As he stomped around in the freezing rain again he couldn’t help but be amazed at the cops in this city. They had just freely given away the slayer’s address. Some how that didn’t seem like the smart thing to do.

Once around back he noticed that it looked the same to him. Nothing out of the ordinary, other than a bleached blonde punk sitting on the back porch. “Now who might you be?” The man said standing up with a fierce look on his face. “What’s it to you?” Gunn said crossing his arms over his chest. “See, this here’s the slayers house. Ain’t nobody invited that I don’t know about. Got it chrome lord?”

Gunn snarled, Spike snarled back. The door opened up causing both of them to jump back not knowing what to expect. Standing in the doorway was Wesley looking rather displeased. “Are you coming in?” He asked. Spike pushed past him thankful to be out of the rain. Wes turned on his heel leaving the door open for Gunn but not bothering to stick around for another round of bash the watcher.

Fred took a step backward as Spike came shaking into the living room hanging up his duster. “Halo pet, never met you before.” He extended his hand to her. “Spike.” Fred’s eyes went wide as she looked down at his proffered hand. “Don’t worry luv, I’m not longer part of the in crowd. I’ve gone rebel.” With a smirk he withdrew his un shook hand just as Wesley emerged from the kitchen. “Gunn is here.” He told Fred as he walked by heading in the direction of the study before shutting the world out behind him.

“Ooh, something’s eating the watcher and it ain’t me.”

“Oops.” Buffy laughed herself to death in the garage. Giles was wringing out his shirt looking rather displeased only serving to crack Buffy up the more she watched. Buffy dug through the dryer and found a shirt to replace the one she was going to have to peal off her body. Giles was watching with interest before he realized that she was in fact watching him. Blushing slightly he turned away from her as she giggled. “Next time, we don’t give Wesley and Dawn the car with the roof.” Buffy told him as she pulled the soggy shirt over hear head and tossed it into the washing machine, along with everything else a moment after that.

Giles hadn’t even moved a muscle, a perfect gentleman. Buffy watched him as she dug through the dryer finding the rest of what she needed. Clad in her comfy clothes she told Giles it was ok for him to turn around again. “That, or we no longer venture out to the beach knowing that a storm was a foot.” “Good point. Then again, we are really at fault.” Buffy realized that Giles was shivering slightly and went about seeing if any of Xanders’ things were down in the garage still. “How so?” He asked watching her move about checking in closed cabinets. Some of which she had to stand on her tip toes to see in. “Well, if we hadn’t been distracting each other, we would not have had to swim home.”

Giles laughed as Buffy gave up and hopped up on the dryer. “Well watcher-mine. Guess it’s time we go and find those bags that had your clothes. I can’t believe that everything got put away. Dawn never does stuff like that.” “It was probably Wesley. You know how he is.” Buffy giggled and pushed Giles hair around until it spiked as he walked by. “Buffy..” his voice rumbled. “What?” She feigned innocence as she fell in step behind him as they entered the house.

“What!” Fred snapped. Spike whirled around suddenly feeling threatened. “Spike? As in the vampire, Spike?” She stood her ground. “Well, ex-vampire actually but yea pet, the same.” Spike found that her glare was just as bad as Buffy’s. “I was just making an observation. No need to get your knickers in a bunch.”

Fred snorted and made her disdain known as she stalked across the room. “Leave him alone. Got it Captain Peroxide?” Spike covered his heart and looked taken aback. “Ouch, I guess that should make me feel bad. Course, I’m used to that from the lot that normally floods this place.” Spike took a look about and before he could call out Gunn strolled on in.

“Oh great, Chrome warrior has appeared. Don’t worry love, I am here for the wheatabix.” Spike walked past her and towards the kitchen deliberately bumping into Gunn as he went. *Wanker.* He mumbled beneath his breath. Gunn really didn’t have a clue where to begin. Hug Fred, yell at Fred, tear through the door and knock Wesley on his ass. Or chase after the Billy Idol wannabe that had just strolled into the kitchen.

None of the ideas however came to be. “Be gone for a little while? Just what is your idea of a little while baby?” Fred wrung her hands for a moment. “I really had meant only to be out for a few hours, but Wes was gone and I had to find him. I’m sorry.” Gunn shook his head exasperated. “Sorry? You never even bothered to call me. I was worried. The least you could do is tell me you went after Wes. I would have understood. No, you just closed out the entire world.”

Gunn was fuming mad and Fred found herself wanting to shrink back, get away. The storm continued to pound outside the house unrelenting. “You just up and left Fred. Angel was in trouble and you just decided to go off and chase after him.” Gunn pointed at the closed doors across the hall. “He has a name remember? Wesley? You may not want to be his friend any more but I do.” “Friend.” Gunn snorted and tossed his shot gun down on the table nearby. “Oh sure, like I believe that one.”

Fred felt her anger boiling and could barely contain it. “You came all the way out here. Not to help, not to do the right thing. You came out here to hurt one of us, both of us. Doesn't matter any more Charles." He was about to say something but with one vicious glare from Fred he backed down. “Wesley was my friend. The entire time he was in trouble you and Angel were off in your own little world. Angel going nuts was understandable but you! The entire time I was trying to find Wes you wanted me to give up, wanted me to toss in the towel. Stop calling him, he’s not going to pick up. We’ve been to his house three times, he’s not there.” Fred shook with anger. “He was there, he was dying and even then could you have given a damn?”

“Uhoh.” Buffy whispered from behind Giles. They backed up heading towards the guest room. Once inside they stared at each other for a moment. “Well, I guess half of Angel Investigations is in my living room.” Buffy closed he door silently before turning towards Giles who was shivering noticeably now. Taking a look around in the closet now she found a blanket. “Come on, no need to be shy around your slayer now.” She smiled but noticed his nervousness.

Setting the blanket down she watched him slump down sitting at the foot of the bed. “What?” She asked softly coming to stand in front of him. He rested his forehead to her stomach, his hands resting on her waist. She stared down at his head running her fingers through his hair waiting for him to tell her what was wrong. “I never wanted you to see.” “See what, Giles?” Then it hit her, she never had seen Giles shirtless, in his robe a few times but never completely.

“It’s all right. I can handle it.” Buffy insisted pushing him away gently. “We have to at some point Giles. No more past, all right?” He nodded, still unsure of this. What she would think, how she would feel seeing his battle scarred and tortured body. He pulled off the wet shirt slowly, he draped it over his lap unable to meet her gaze which he could feel on every scar that ran across his chest. The most notable being where the spearing had occurred through the van window.

Buffy’s eyes welled with tears, her hand extended but as shaky as it was she did not want to make him feel any worse. Instead she moved around to the side of the bed walking across it on her knees. His back looking far worse, she could even guess as to who caused each scar that marred his beautiful body. Several which she knew all too well. This time she did reach out, caressed the pointed scars as if she could absolve the pain, the guilt for revealing how to awaken Acathla.

“He was there, he was dying and even then could you have given a damn?”

Wesley dropped the book he had picked up onto the desk. Closing his eyes he could still relive every moment of that night in slow motion. The moment Justine slit his throat and took the baby from his arms. Reaching for his cell phone, trying to get help, the bum coming by and taking his money before dragging him into the shrubbery, left for dead. It was then that she had come for him, like he knew that she would.

She wouldn’t leave him, she was not afraid of what he knew she must have seen. Even in her anger at the hospital he knew then that she still cared for him. It was part of the reason he had left LA. Of all people he wanted to spare, it was her. He had known for some time that he could love her, in fact he had been in love with her even before his mind caught up to his heart. She was now outside in a fight with a man she loved simply for wanting to be his friend. Once again he felt like the magnet of destruction.

Make me a witness
Take me out
Out of darkness
Out of doubt

“I should have seen it coming. It’s always him isn’t it. No matter what, he says jump you say how high.” Gunn snarled. “It’s not like that. He’s my friend, I would do the same for you.” Fred insisted. “Yeah, sure just keep telling yourself that Fred.” Spike came walking back into the room munching on his beloved Wheetabix.

I won't weigh you down
With good intention
Won't make fire out of clay
Or other inventions

She stood there deep in her thoughts, a smile started to creep across her face. “You know what? I don’t have to think anymore. I think too much as it is. You know, I never really did forgive you for what you did to me that day. You lied to me, you hurt me and I just let it go. I wasn’t strong enough then. I am now.” Taking a step away she started to turn. “Thank you for the concern Charles but from now on, you and I are old news.”

Will we burn in heaven
Like we do down here
Will the change come
While we're waiting

Everyone is waiting

Bone weary with sleep Xander kicked off his shoes and settled into the bed beside Willow, watching over her sleep as long as his drooping eyes would allow. He nodded off and snapped awake several times trying to shake it off, to be there for his friend if she needed him to be. As he started to succumb yet again Willow found her way into his side, curling into a ball clinging onto him with everything that she had left. Xander kissed her forehead and fell asleep protecting Willow from the demons.

And when we're done
Soul searching
As we carried the weight
And died for the cause
Is misery
Made beautiful
Right before our eyes
Will mercy be revealed
Or blind us where we stand

Buffy felt her tears threatening to fall as she looked upon Giles back, wanting to make the memories go away. She knew nightmares had to happen, she had her own about the Master, the Mayor, Faith, Angel and Glory. She pressed herself up to his freezing back, her arms wrapping around his neck. Giles reached for her hands and she greatly held onto him tighter than she had ever done before.

Giles leaned his head back slightly, her cheek now resting against his. She knew all of his pain and he knew hers. He placed a kiss over the scars that still marred her neck. Together they could get past all of the shadows that tore at them. Apart they were vulnerable, alone. Together they were could take back the lives that were lost to them years ago.

“Over? Just like that?” Gunn was furious. “You heard the lady. It’s over. Seems your not welcome here after all mate.” Spike grinned as he chomped away. “I’d be glad to show you the door.” Fred smiled slightly. “I think he can see himself out Spike. Thank you.” Spike nodded and slumped down into the nearest chair as if nothing was going on. Gunn stalked to her and they stood toe to toe. His hurt laid at her feet. Fred had not wished to hurt Gunn, they had not wished to hurt each other. “Take care of yourself Charles.”

Biting his lip, his fists clenched, a curt nod and he was out the front door into the storm.

Fred rested her head on the study door wondering if she even had the right, if she had just hurt Charles for nothing. She knew that to be wrong. She had come here for a reason, that reason sat behind this door in solitary, much like he had been for months. Opening the door she found him sitting on the edge of the desk, a half opened book to the side, his head hung.

Striding across the room with purpose, without thought, she wrapped her arms about him drawing him into her embrace as his tears fell onto her chest.

Will we burn in heaven
Like we do down here
Will the change come while we're waiting
Everyone is waiting

© December 2002

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