Disclaimer: The following story is intended for entertainment purposes only. This document can be freely distributed with the condition that no part of the text is modified, and this notice is included with all copies.
Some characters and elements of this story are the property of Joss Whedon and Mutant Enemy and are used without authorization. No copyright infringement is intended. The author receives no compensation from the distribution of this work. Any comments or criticism would be welcome.
Note: This story follows on from "Playing with Fire" (and the others in the series) and should only be read after that one.
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"You're really OK?" asked Willow, cautiously.
Giles extracted himself from Buffy's crushing hug. "I believe so, why?"
"Why? Did you just bury yourself in a book for a month and miss your own death?" suggested Xander.
"Excuse me? I don't think I follow." Giles frowned at Xander.
"Y-you were a vampire," stammered Willow. "I, err, killed you........" She paused, then added. "I'm sorry."
"Oh, err. That's quite all right. Umm, thank you, Willow," replied a bewildered Giles. "However, I feel that you must have been mistaken, unless I have missed rather more than Xander suggests."
"I'll say," said Buffy. "So, spill. Where were you? What happened? Where have you been?"
"I, err...." began Giles.
"Yeah, come on, G-man. I gotta know how to come back from the dead," added Xander.
Giles glared at Xander. "Don't ever...."
"OK, OK, guys! The story, please?" interrupted Buffy.
"Oh, yes." Flustered, Giles thought back to his departure from Sunnydale. "I suppose I should start with the visit from one of the Watcher's Council?" he suggested.
"You had a visit from one of the Watcher's Council and you didn't mention it!" exclaimed Buffy.
"Well, I didn't get the chance. She was in rather a hurry..."
"Female Watchers too, oh wow," muttered Xander.
"Xander!" Willow looked suitably disgusted.
"Sorry, Will," apologised Xander.
Giles waited for them to subside and began his story. "Well, she saw the three of you in the library and informed me that I was required to send Buffy on a mission of some urgency which required the utmost discretion. She was rather, err, anxious about Willow and Xander's presence."
"So you sent us out, and sent Buffy to get captured by that vampire group?" asked Xander.
"Hardly. I was under the impression that Buffy was preventing a major catastrophe, it was only later that I discovered the true nature of Buffy's mission. Apparently the Watcher's Council had fully intended for Buffy to be captured by Ilona. But only the council themselves knew the true purpose of the mission, it was imperative that this operation remain secret from all unnecessary personnel."
"Which included you," observed Willow.
"Yes, I'm afraid so."
"So what happened next," prodded Buffy, impatiently. "Why did she say you had to leave?"
"She told me of a prophecy which could mean a new era for the Slayer. An era in which the legendary ghrian and the Slayer could work alongside one another successfully. She insisted that it was imperative I leave immediately, without explaining any details to the three of you."
"You just upped and left without telling us you'd gone?" exclaimed Buffy.
"I-I left a note," protested Giles.
"You did?" Willow looked surprised. "Where?"
"It was on my desk."
"Ah, well hidden," smiled Buffy. "I think your little Watcher friend must've taken a liking to it."
"Oh, right.... Sorry." Giles took their silence as a signal to continue. "Well, once in England I had to fight to get any information at all. There was a high level of security surrounding this entire issue, and I was evidently lacking the authority to lay claim to any further details. Their interest in me had ended in my removal from the scene. However, after several days I finally found reference to a prophecy which seemed alarmingly relevant."
"What did it say?" asked Willow urgently.
"After the looker becomes his own enemy and dies, the new looker shall bring troubled times to the Slayer," recited Giles.
"Huh?" said Buffy.
"It was referring to a Watcher. A bad Watcher. Suddenly a remark which Mrs Davenport had made began to make sense."
"Mrs Davenport?" Xander looked confused. "I was paying attention, really I was. Who was she?"
"The female Watcher," sighed Giles.
"What did she say?" asked Willow.
"She said that the traitor was in place already," replied Giles.
"Meaning Snyder?" asked Buffy.
"Err, yes. Although I was unaware of his identity at the time. Francis informed me of that later."
"But what about the dead part," insisted Willow. "Because you're not dead. Which is good."
"Please, if you'll let me finish," scolded Giles gently.
"Sorry," whispered Willow.
"I had also earlier overheard a comment that the school believed me to be dead, something which was apparently convenient to their cause. So I had begun to make enquires about my return. I had even booked my tickets, but I was intercepted at the last moment and informed that I was to stay in the best interests of the Slayer. My options were, I'm afraid, severely limited, so I called my cousin in Bristol and sent him the aeroplane tickets."
"Francis," stated Buffy.
"Francis," agreed Giles. "He was a little reluctant, but given the circumstances he was willing to oblige. I must say I owe him quite a serious favour now."
"But he didn't tell us you were alive. He must have known..." began Willow.
"It seemed that the council were working on something of great importance. Certainly I could appreciate that co-operation between the Slayer and the ghrian would be a magnificent achievement, and something which I was reluctant to jeopardise. I insisted he remained silent on the matter until I could be sure of the effects of any, err, information on my whereabouts."
"What about Ade?" asked Xander.
"He said Snyder hired him, right?" replied Willow.
Giles coughed politely.
"We're sorry," said Willow sheepishly. "We'll be quiet now."
"My research in England led me to the conclusion that my absence was necessary in order for this transformation to occur in the ghrian. It seemed that the combination of the Hellmouth and a lack of training, would cause the ghrian's powers to change and complement those of the Slayer more effectively. So I remained silent, contacting Francis to encourage him not to interfere with the ghrian's progress. It was then that I discovered that Willow was the ghrian, putting everything in perspective." Giles stopped. "And that was it, really. Or all that you three would find of interest. I spent the rest of my time….."
Xander and Willow exchanged glances. "But you died, you didn't say how you died," protested Willow. "We were there."
"But I wasn't, I'm afraid I'm at a loss to explain the occurrence of my death." Giles caught the looks on each of their faces. "But I will endeavour to discover an explanation."
Willow relaxed a little. "We're not crazy, are we? I don't think I'm crazy, but we could be. It could happen to the most normal people, and..."
Buffy interrupted her. "Will, you're one of the most sane people we could ever hope to meet. And if there's an explanation to be found then Giles will be the one to find it."
Xander patted Willow's shoulder. "Besides, I was there. I know you're not crazy."
Willow smiled. "Research party!"
Xander groaned. "Is there any urgency? Couldn't we save the all nighter til there was some major crisis? I'm needing some serious relaxation time here, this last month or so has been well wiggy."
"I gotta agree with Xand here," concurred Buffy. "There's no need to get way extra-curricular on this one. I intend to get a full night's restful sleep after I patrol tonight."
"Yes, yes. You all go," agreed Giles. "I have a number of, err, things to sort out before we can really get to work on this." He rubbed the bridge of his nose distractedly. "I have a few telephone calls to make...."
"Well, we'll see ya later," called Xander, standing up to go before he could get roped into any serious research.
As Willow and Buffy followed him out of the library, Giles could still hear Xander's voice, joking as usual.
"Well, he looks really good for a dead librarian."
Giles smiled to himself. He was glad to be back, he found even Xander's jokes to be a welcome commodity after weeks as a virtual hostage of his own Watcher's Council. But before he could truly settle in, the mystery of his apparent death had to be solved. He hated mysteries which remained unsolved, they had a terrible tendency towards coming back at you when they were least expected.
* * *
When the Slayer and her Slayerettes returned to the library in the morning, they found Giles asleep at his desk with a book in his hand.
"So much for a relaxing evening," commented Buffy.
"Come on, this is Giles. His idea of relaxation is reading stuff," pointed out Xander.
"True," agreed Willow. "But 'Legends of the Sun'?"
"Ah," said Buffy, a little more loudly, waking Giles.
"It's OK," muttered Giles, still partially asleep. He woke himself fully, realising only then that he wasn't alone. "Oh, it's you," he observed. "I have some news for you."
"What?" asked Willow excitedly.
"Yeah, should we have Wills committed or what?" asked Xander.
Giles waited for them to calm down before responding. "It seems that the council carefully masterminded this entire scenario. Not the vampires, of course, but a great deal of research was put into a series of prophecies which led to the bringing together of the Slayer and the ghrian. And several of the prophecies were given a little nudge. In particular the transformation of the ghrian. Apparently, one of the council's researchers discovered several years ago that if the ghrian was exposed to a certain drug before they became the ghrian, then a transformation equivalent to a star’s transformation into a supernova would take place. The council ensured that both you, Willow, and Xander were exposed to the drug. They were unsure of exactly who would become the ghrian, only that it would be one of you, the Slayer's friends, so they exposed both of you. That is, I believe, when you experienced my death."
"But we weren't given any drug," protested Willow.
"You were unaware of it," Giles informed her. "I suspect while I sent Buffy on her mission which led her to Ilona and the vampires in Scotland, Mrs Davenport administered the drug to you, knowing that you would be waiting for Buffy. There would have been no need for her to show herself, or inject you. This drug could easily be delivered through the air, and the school was quiet at that time. Once the drug had been administered, she could retreat and leave you two to breathe it in." Giles paused. "A likely effect would have been a shared nightmare, this drug is a powerful hallucinogen, with a few magical properties, particularly at this proximity to the Hellmouth. It's not surprising that given the circumstances the two of you fully believed that what you saw was real."
"We d-dreamt it?" gasped Willow.
Giles nodded.
"Will, I dread to think what you dream about normally! Were you feeling particularly vicious or something?" asked Xander.
"Actually, your anxiety over my slightly unusual behaviour, and the time I had taken speaking to Buffy probably led to your rather unusual nightmare," explained Giles. "It's nothing to worry about."
"So what now?" asked Buffy.
"Now we enter the new era that the council so carefully prepared for us," replied Xander. "Lock, stock and barrel. Anyone else here feel manipulated?"
"We were manipulated," said Willow. "But for our own good."
"Yes. I believe so. Or for the good of the planet," agreed Giles. "The Slayer and the ghrian will be able to work side by side, greatly improving our chances against any would-be world dominating demons."
"Hey! You forgot something. The remaining Slayerette," protested Xander.
Willow nudged him. "I'm still a Slayerette," she whispered.
Buffy grinned. "Get some sleep Giles," she ordered. Linking arms with her two best friends, she turned to leave the library. "We can handle the rest."
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