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Part Four
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"Go home, I tell you. This is not your fight," shouted Pol.
"No," whispered Willow, defiantly. "We have to help."
"There's nothing you two can do. I can save the Slayer, but you must let me go alone."
"No way, buddy. This is our pal you're talking about, and we've been through too much to just abandon her now," added Xander, reinforcing Willow's argument.
"This is my fight, my enemy. Let it alone."
"No," replied Willow and Xander in unison.
Pol rolled his eyes. "Oh, all right then, come. But don't say I didn't warn you."
* * *
"This is Scotland?" asked Willow in awe. "Wow, it's amazing."
"But far too cold. How do these people live here?" moaned Xander.
"Come on, kids. I've pin-pointed the location," announced Pol, brandishing a GPS receiver.
"Oooo, a gadget. Giles would be ranting right now," grinned Xander.
Willow's eyes lowered, her thoughts returning to Giles. Xander placed a hand on her shoulder. "Not your fault, Will. And we're here to set things straight for him. Save Buffy, beat up bad guys. Giles would be proud."
"Yeah," said Willow, brightening a little. "This fight is for him." She looked more determined than ever.
"Shh," whispered Pol. "I think we're getting close."
"Really? Oh, I'm ready," mumbled Willow.
"Back-up is in place, kinda," whispered Xander.
"Great. Now stay here, don't do anything til I'm finished ," instructed Pol. "I mean it, it could screw everything up."
"We'll stay here," said Xander. "No problem." He shifted slightly in their hiding place.
"Umm, how will we know when you're done?" asked Willow.
"Trust me, you'll know," grinned Pol. "See you later."
"Good luck," called Willow after him as he blended into the crowd of partying vampires.
For twenty nervous minutes, Willow and Xander watched Pol weave his way between the throngs of partying vampires. None of them paid any undue attention, despite his pulse, it was obvious there was more to this watcher than met the eye.
Finally, Pol reached Buffy, and the tall red-headed Ilona. He threw his arms above his head with a stake in one hand and a small glass globe in the other, and shouted in Gaelic at the top of his voice. Ilona cleared her throat. "Pol, did you think us unaware? I've been waiting for you."
Pol turned, apparently surprised. "Ilona," he greeted the red-headed vampire.
"Yes, don't think you can start your little ritual without drawing some attention. We have our own rituals to perform, and without your support I can see you. We were very thorough with your support, even the slayer." Ilona gestured towards Buffy, tied firmly to the wall.
"So I gather," remarked Pol, calmly. "I did wonder about the one you sent to see me though. Couldn't you have managed someone a little more appropriate."
"I had to be sure you'd arrive, and he was so much more fun than an invitation," smiled Ilona. "Besides, the ghrian and the Slayer in one room. It had to be done."
Pol frowned at her.
"I know what tonight is," Ilona laughed. "Even as a vampire I can still feel the sun."
"You?" Pol was surprised. "Of course! I always wondered how you knew so much... You were once the ghrian."
"I still am," she smiled, "and stronger than you. It doesn't wear off when you become a vampire, you know, even if it does allow the next activation. It just isn't good for the health, if you see what I mean."
"I sympathise, I really do. But it's too late. I'm not turning back now." Once again, Pol began to chant in Gaelic, his small globe raised in the air, high above his head.
Ilona smiled, glancing out at the sea of ignorant vampires for a moment. Then she began to speak herself, her voice drowning out Pol's. Slowly, the vampires around her became aware of the intruder. They looked to their leader, awaiting her instruction, every one of them poised to attack.
"We have to do something," whispered Willow. "I'm sure this wasn't meant to happen."
"You're right, Will." Xander picked up his stake. "OK, I'm action boy, what's the plan?"
"I think we should be a distraction," said Willow, standing suddenly.
"You... what?!" Xander groaned. "Danger avoidance," he shrugged, before joining her. "So, what's the plan?"
"Shout really loud?" suggested Willow. "Hey! Vampires! Over here?" she yelled.
"Oh man. Lunchtime," panicked Xander as the vampires turned to face them. "Will, I think this might be a good time to run..." He grabbed her shoulder. "Will, this is definitely time to be elsewhere."
"N-no, we should stay," she replied firmly.
"Wh...?" he began, as the entire room was bathed in a brilliant light. He closed his eyes, shielding them from the sudden illumination. When he reopened them, the vampires were gone, and Pol stood at the front of the room alone, glowing.
"Xander? C'mon, Buffy?" urged Willow, bringing him back to his senses.
"Will, that guy's glowing! We so need to get back to the Hellmouth."
They raced over to Buffy. "You OK Buffy?" asked Willow as they untied her.
"Yeah, I'll live. Thanks, guys," replied Buffy.
"We gotta stop meeting like this," quipped Xander.
Buffy smiled. "I'll be sure to make a note of it... wait. More bad guys. I feel some revenge coming on."
"Oooo, revenge. This could become a spectator sport, I could sell tickets." Xander paused. "You'd think they'd know when to quit though. I mean, the Slayer's free, their leader's toast, and we've got this cool glowy Watcher with us..... Not to mention us Slayerettes and our mean holy water throwing techniques."
"Oh, Xander. I can see them," whispered Willow.
"Oh. Oh dear. I say we let Buffy slay them."
"I agree," smiled Willow.
"Back in a sec," grinned Buffy, advancing on the small group of vampires.
Quickly, Buffy began to reduce the vampire's numbers, but gradually more were appearing, and soon Willow and Xander found themselves fighting for their lives alongside her. Pol remained stationary, as he had since the flash of light, but the vampires carefully avoided him.
As Buffy threw a chair leg into the vampire attacking Xander from about 10 yards, Willow was momentarily distracted. A vampire came up behind her, prepared to drive one of her dropped stakes into her back.
"Will!" cried Xander, noticing the vampire even as he escaped his own attacker. But there was nothing he could do, he hardly dared to look. It seemed, to Xander, that time froze in that second as he waited for his best friend to be killed. His mind wandered over all the times they'd had together, and grieved over all the times they would never see.
Xander was interrupted from his reverie by a sudden cry of pain. His mind told him that it had been Willow, that the worst had happened, yet his ears knew it hadn't been her voice. Apprehensively, he looked up. Instead of Willow lying lifeless on the floor, she stood, crying softly, over the body of a man. Rushing over to comfort her, and to express his relief, Xander realised that Pol had saved her. He had stopped the vampire, and paid with his own life. Looking upwards, Xander offered a silent thank you to the fallen Watcher.
Pol lay on the ground, one of Willow's stakes protruding from his chest, somehow fitting to his vampiric appearance. As Buffy dusted the last of the vampires, Xander joined Willow at Pol's side. "I'm sorry, Will," he whispered, placing an arm on her shoulders.
"It's not..." began Willow. "What?"
Pol stirred slightly, grunting in pain. "Kids," he whispered hoarsely.
Instantly, Willow and Xander knelt down to hear what he had to say.
"Thanks for the help." Then he moved his hand slightly to touch Willow's, dropping his globe into her hand as the life finally left him.
* * *
"Aren't you even a little bit excited?" asked Willow. "A new watcher. It could be anybody..."
"Will, think tweed. This one will be no different. Besides, I still miss Giles. I keep thinking about it, and how no new watcher can possibly be, well Giles," responded Buffy.
"I know, I still keep thinking about killing him. After everything we've been through, I think that has to be the worst," replied Willow sadly.
"You promised you weren't going to say you killed him, Will. Freed him," insisted Buffy, sternly. "You did good. Imagine how Giles would feel if we let him run round here undoing all the good he did while he was alive."
"Yeah," agreed Willow, more positively.
"That's it," grinned Buffy, clapping Willow on the back. "Gotta think positive."
"I wonder what Pol would've been like as your watcher..." mused Willow. "Remember she called him the ghrian, when you were, umm, incapacitated? I looked it up, it’s Gaelic for sun. I wonder what he could do - besides the err…"
"I said positive," objected Buffy.
"It was a completely positive thought, i-in a kind of negative way." Willow looked down.
"Hmm." Buffy raised her eyebrows at Willow suspiciously. "Y'know, I keep having really tweedy dreams. It's like Giles is shopping with me in my sleep." Buffy shuddered.
"But, shopping," pointed out Willow, knowing Buffy's passion for it. "Told you my thought was positive, anyway," she announced triumphantly. "Coz it was absolutely untweedy."
"That's true," conceded Buffy. "Oh, I wish this watcher would arrive an get it over with. I need a good nights sleep for one thing, or at least a good vampire prophecy nightmare."
"Hello. Miss Summers, I presume? And Miss Rosenberg?"
The End
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