It's getting later in the evening, and Buffy hasn't come in yet. She went out on a dangerous mission, meaning to rid the prom of the threat of demonic dogs that are attracted to formal wear. I worry about her. I am her watcher, even if no longer officially, and I care for my slayer. She has been put into dangerous situations far too often for my tastes. But I guess a slayer's work is never truly done.
The noise that is now considered music is pounding in my ears in a neverending deafening thum-thump-thumping, causing my glasses to rattle. Children do not have good tastes in music these days. This screeching noise sounds like something a demon would make during mating season. The students all danced around, oblvious to the danger that they were in, and oblivious to the girl who would doubtlessly save them all. Is it truly better this way? For no one to know just how much this girl has done for them?
I stand by the refreshment table, at my rightful place with the chaperoning teachers.
"Well, I must say this is all rather odd to me," a voice next to me says. Wesley. The Watchers Council sent him as a replacement for a new slayer who had recently come to Sunnydale. His slayer had become a renegade, and was now a threat. But a threat for another time. After my termination from the Watchers Council, Wesley had taken over my job as well. Badly. He is completely incompetent.
"Oh yes," I reply sarcastically. "At an all-male preparatory they didn't go in for this sort of thing."
"No, of course not. Unless you count the nights you made the lower classmen get up as girls and watched them ..." I shoot him a look. " Dip is tasty, isn't it?"
Wesley suddenly starts coughing, I look up to see Cordelia walk in wearing a stunning dress. I suddenly realize what has gotten the crisp lodged in his throat. I look back at him.
"Sauce is hot," he tries to explain, stealing another glance towards the door. "Very hot."
I roll my eyes as he takes off toward her. I survey the goings-on of the dance, doing my proper duty as chaperone, when I notice that my slayer has walked in she glanced at me and nodded. I relaxed. She had done it again, of course. Everything was safe for now. She walks to her friends, and they begin exchanging words, then the prom court and awards ceremony starts.
I watched with feigned interest, glancing across the room, looking at the students. I notice that Buffy is at the punch bowl, fishing out a laddle of punch. I also notice a small young man walking out onto the stage. I wouldn't have noticed him at all if he hadn't have had to adjust the microphone stand.
" We have one more award to give out," he begins. I turn to focus my interests elsewhere when he begins again. "Is Buffy Summers here tonight? Did she, um..."
Hearing the name of my slayer over the microphone, I am truly intrigued. The crowd splits and Buffy is left with an uncomfortable look towards the stage.
"This is actually a new category," he begins again. "First time ever. I guess there were a lot of write-in ballots, and, um, the prom committee asked me to read this. ‘We're not good friends. Most of us never found the time to get to know you, but that doesn't mean we haven't noticed you. We don't talk about it much, but it's no secret that Sunnydale High isn't really like other high schools. A lot of weird stuff happens here.'"
The crowd throws back examples to the young boy. He continues his speech.
"But, whenever there was a problem or something creepy happened, you seemed to show up and stop it. Most of the people here have been saved by you, or helped by you at one time or another. We're proud to say that the Class of '99 has the lowest mortality rate of any graduating class in Sunnydale history."
The crowd errupts in applause. I join in the applause, pride filling my own heart.
"And we know at least part of that is because of you. So the senior class offers its thanks, and gives you, uh, this." He fumbles around and holds up a miniature umbrella, brightly colored and glittering. It rested on a small metal base.
"It's from all of us," he continues once again, " and it has written here, ‘Buffy Summers, Class Protector.'"
The crowd again begins to cheer, as do I, while Buffy makes her way to the lit stage. She accepts the award and smiles, but almost seems eager to get off the stage. She smiles at her friends as she passes and makes her way back to the back of the room. The music begins again and the students start to dance once more.
Wesley begins sputtering on again about Cordelia, and after some coaxing, I believe that I convinced him of the proper course of action. Buffy walks over to me and holds up her award. I look on her and smile.
"You did good work tonight, Buffy," I say, pride still swelling in my chest. I'm very proud of my slayer.
"And I got a little toy surprise," She says, grinning broadly and glancing at her award.
"I had no idea that children en masse could be gracious," I say to her honestly.
" Every now and then, people surprise you," she replies.
I glance behind her and a face comes into focus. It's a face that haunts my nightmares, but it's also a face that has seen my salvation more than once. Angel entered the room in a tuxedo, looking towards Buffy and I. He is the man I detest more than anyone in this world, but he is also a man who has more than once saved the life of my slayer. My tormentor only wore his face. Angelus is gone now, Giles. I must always remind myself. I tense and relax again, realizing why he has come, and realizing that he has come for her, and only for her. Because he loves her. And always will.
"Every now and then."
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