LIFE'S A JOURNEY, NOT A DESTINATION: Part Two
by Pen Horwitz
Disclaimer: Buffy, Willow, Angel, Xander, Giles, and the rest of the Sunnydale gang aren't mine. They belong to Joss and the nice people at Mutant Enemy. I'm not making any money off this so please don't sue. And please don't repost this without asking me first.
Distribution: Anya has dibs on this, and Buffy fic list. Everybody else please ask first.
Feedback: Yes, please!
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Part Two
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
"The Lies Are Sometimes Necessary"
Giles was pacing when Brigid entered the apartment. "Hi, Dad! What's up?'
"Where have you been?" He demanded. Damn! He should be more careful and not let himself get distracted. He might be a Watcher, but this was his daughter! He looked at her more carefully. "And what are you wearing?"
The young woman put her hands out in front of her in a placating gesture. "Whoo, calm down. It's Friday night, and I went to Neo with Andrea. You know I do this every Friday." She studied him with concern. "Are you okay, Dad? What the hell was that phone call about?"
"It's not your concern, Brigid. And will you change out of that." He gestured absently at the dress.
"It's Watcher stuff isn't it?' When Giles refused to answer her, she started to yell. "Bloody hell! You can't keep me in the dark forever. We're family! Family help one another." Giles looked down at his feet knowing if he told her it would bring her back into the terror that had taken her mother.
"I can't, Brigid. Please believe me that this is for your own good."
"Dad, I'm not ignorant. I've got a pretty damn good idea what's been going on."
"Brigid, It's very dangerous. You shouldn't get involved." He pleaded with her. "I wanted you to have a normal life."
"Normal life went out the window when Mom died, so I'm already involved. Anyway, I've got homework to do so, if you want to talk..." She hugged him tightly.
Rupert smiled and ruffled her hair, "I know where to find you." She smiled back and as he watched her go upstairs he realized that his little girl had grown up.
* * *
Angel unlocked the door to his apartment, musing about the new Slayer. [Damn, I'm glad I found her before the others did.] He thought to himself wearily. He hadn't told her the half of it when he said Sunnydale was an odd place, but he had the clue she already knew that. What she didn't know was it was about to get a whole lot worse. The vampire walked over to the coffee table where an aged book, the single reason he had come back to this miserable town, lay.
"Giles is absolutely going to love you." He said patting the leather bound volume gently. After Buffy's death he had gone to Europe, searching for the Tiberious Manifesto. While he was there he had barely avoided getting caught up in the war for dominance that Spike and Dru's death had caused. Angel had seen who had filled that void and the thought of Diana heading here to the Hellmouth after uniting the Blood made him sick. She was the only other vampire close in blood to the Master left, besides himself. He knew that she'd try to finish the ritual that Dru started. It was only a matter of time.
He had been able to pry information out of the that Andrea girl about the new Slayer. He was more than a little amused that her name was Brigid. It would figure that the next Slayer would be named for the goddess of his homeland, Brigid the Bride, the fiery arrow. Well she was going to need that fire if she planned on surviving Diana.
Angel felt something tug at his soul as he thought about her. [No, I'm not doing this again. I refuse to go through it.] He commanded his traitorous heart, but it was to late. The seeds were planted, and as Brigid's fire thawed the winter of his emotions, they would grow.
* * *
"It was really weird." Brigid said to Justin Cole as she sat down to lunch in Sunnydale's cafeteria.
"I can see that," he said sagely and stared at the hot apple dish she had. "Are you going to eat that?"
She rolled her eyes. "No!" She slapped his hand away from the bowl. "Pay attention. Vampires followed me home from Neo on Friday." She glared at him. "Speaking of which, where the Hell were you? I got stuck with Andrea the whole time I was there."
"Which, from what you told me, was about an hour. I was doing some major divining, Brig. Something big is going down soon according to the cards... Wait, did you say vampires?"
"Yeah, what did you _think_ I was talking about?" Her green eyed glare withered him in his seat.
"Okay... but from the research I've done there hasn't been a major vampire type incident in..."
"Four years, I know."
"Brig, this worries me. Why now? Samhaign is coming up, and what the cards are telling me is freaking me out. Now this? There's got to be some connection."
Brigid nodded. "I know. Justin, I can't tell you how glad I am to have someone to talk to about this stuff. My dad would wig if he knew."
"Yeah," Justin agreed, "I can see that about Giles. He seems so grounded in reality he'd never believe you. Well, we witches have to stick together, right?"
Brigid grinned, "Right."
* * *
Xander Harris approached the Sunnydale High School library with some trepidation. He had spent a good portion of his high school career there, and felt somewhat reluctant to return to that dangerous world. Willow gripped his hand, smiled, and together they pushed open the doors.
"Giles?" Willow called out as Xander walked a slow circuit of the place.
"Dear God! He hasn't moved a damn thing!"
"Actually, there are a few new books I haven't shelved yet, but on the whole, no, I haven't changed much here." Giles said as he stepped out of his office. "You don't know how good it is to see both of you."
Xander watched as his wife threw the past ten years out the window and barreled into Giles with a bear hug. Amazingly, the once stodgy Watcher accepted the embrace happily, and gave back as good as he got. [Guess having a kid's mellowed him somewhat,] Xander obsevered silently.
Willow pushed Giles away and studied him. "You haven't slept!" She accused.
"No, I haven't." The librarian's voice carried a wry note. "I've been up all weekend researching the Slayer prophecies from the Codex. I think I might have a lead, but I could use your help."
"Well, I'll leave you to your shop talk." Xander sighed, and began moving back to the entry way.
"Are you sure you don't want to stay...?" Willow looked a little disappointed.
"And ruin this tender Watcher bonding moment? Not a chance!" He threw her a lopsided grin. "Besides. I promised Mr. Harrison if I ever came back to Sunnydale, that I'd speak to his creative writing class." Xander then noticed the small display case. "Hey, Giles, was it your idea to make me featured author?"
"Actually, no. The PTA, it seemed, was so thrilled that you were an alumnus that they decided to honor you."
He picked up a book entitled _Dangerous Possesion_ and laughed. "This must have killed Synder." He replaced the novel back in the display. "Well, Mr. Harrison's expecting me so I better go." And walked out the door, only to run into Principal Synder.
"Harris, I heard you'd come back." the tiny principal grated.
"Hi, Principal Synder, so good to see you looking well. I'm sorry I can't stay and chat but I've got a class to address."
"You're anxious about getting to a class. Now there's a first."
"Why, sir, you wound me. How could you _not_ think I'd be anxious to help out this bastion of higher education? After all, these children are our future." Xander smirked and began to walk away.
Synder snorted and called after the retreating author, "Amazing you actually amounted to something. Must have been getting away from the influence of that Summers girl."
That stopped Xander cold. He turned on his heels, and stalked back to where the insignificant maggot stood with a face so contorted in rage Synder was forced back. "Don't you know you're supposed to speak well of the dead?" He said in a voice dripping with menace. "'That Summers girl' died saving the life of a child from a fire, which is more than I can say for you, you slimy son of a bitch! And if I ever hear you speak ill of Buffy again, so help me, I'll do worse to you than make you look like a buffoon in front of about 2 million readers!"
"What's that supposed to mean?" Synder asked as he continued to back away from the furious young man.
"I know you've read my books, since you have final approval for the feature authors. Who the hell do you think inspired 'Principal Tashir'?" Xander got his stastifaction as Synder's face went white at the mention of the most imbecilic character in his books. "Good day." With that Xander left Synder sputtering.
End Chapter Two
This story archived at: The Slayer\'s Fanfic Archive
The Slayer\\\\\\\\'s FanFic Archive - http://www.slayerfanfic.com/viewstory.php?sid=1565