Sunshine finally invaded Giles' unconscious world, bringing him inexorably forward to face the day. He fought it, wanting desperately to stay in the newfound realm of contentment in which he had drifted for the past twelve hours. Then at once he was wide awake and sitting bolt upright in bed. It wasn't a dream. But no, he was indeed in Eliza’s bedroom, in her bed in point of fact. Then they really had. . . . A rather pleased, if bemused smile curved his lips as he lay back against the pillows. Light footsteps on the stairs broadened that smile. A moment later, a rather beautifully tousled Eliza entered the bedroom, carrying a white wicker tray laden with breakfast. She seemed to glow with a vibrancy; the pale blue satin robe she was wearing enhanced that glow. Did I do that? he wondered.
"Good morning, Rupert. I'm almost sorry you're awake."
"Oh?" He sat up to make room for her. She placed the tray carefully on the bedside table out of the way and then snuggled next to him.
"Yes. Because I am now deprived of the delightful opportunity to awaken you myself."
"Well, if you play your cards right," Rupert murmured, having come to a decision. "You might get a lot more chances to do just that." He leaned over to silence any further repartee with another torrid kiss. Breakfast waited half an hour before they remembered that such a thing as food existed at all.
Finally, with Eliza sitting cross-legged on the bed with a cup of now-lukewarm tea between her hands, Giles brought up the one subject he had been avoiding. But it must be dealt with now, he reminded himself, even if it means interrupting this marvelous morning.
"Eliza, we need to talk some more about last night."
She sighed deeply and then gave him a lopsided smile. "I knew we'd have to sooner or later. Just wish it could be later."
"A-as do I. Now, can you recount to me the details of what he said to you, specifically regarding what he said in terms of the school?"
"Yes. Firstly, as I told you, Buffy and her friends are huge troublemakers, at least as far as he is concerned. He made it sound like hanging around you guys would bring about. . . never mind."
Giles nodded in agreement and bade her continue. "He, however, answers to a power higher than the school board--the Mayor, as I recall."
"Oh? Now, that's very interesting."
"He’s a sort of spin doctor for the school, particularly in the order of unwanted paranormal activity, and keeps the Mayor informed of all situations. When I asked him what would happen when he could no longer ‘handle’ situations, he said that he was a dead man."
She paused in thought. "Who is mayor of this burgh, anyway? I’ve never really heard a name, seen him or heard news of him."
Eliza made a valid point, something that he'd overlooked. Giles was silent as he searched his memory for any instances.
"Eliza, that's it!"
"What?"
"It's beginning to make sense now. Let me run this by you. See what you think. Snyder is the school's principal and has been hired by the mayor. Unusual in itself, I grant you. But his task is to explain away these situations. That accounts for the time when Spike attacked the parents' night gathering a-and the time the snakes just appeared in the cafeteria."
"A question, Giles. Why haven't the police taken any action? I mean, I can understand the bad p.r. if they don't explain away the incidents, probably to calm the parents and the media and not to alarm the students. But wouldn't the police have taken action on the side to quell the problem?"
Eliza fell silent as Giles stared at her in wonder.
"Another variable I hadn't thought to consider. Excellent. Now that I think of it, I saw the chief of police and Snyder in intense conversation not too long ago, and Snyder looked pretty shaken afterward. I wonder, did the chief convey a threat of sorts to him? It would make sense, since the police answer to the mayor. And you're entirely right about the lack of information about the Mayor. I haven't recalled any elections since I got here, nor any news of him.
"So, we have Snyder, the cover-ups, a possible threat, and that leads to a very disturbing conclusion. I can only hope I'm wrong about this."
"And your conclusion, Giles?" Eliza urged.
Giles stared blankly at her and then out the window. "That the mayor is in collusion with the vampires, has an agreement with them."
"Doesn't seem to fit, does it?" Eliza opined after a lengthy silence. She frowned.
"No. No, you’re right. Not quite."
Eliza's eyes widened and then her brow furrowed even deeper.
"Eliza? What is it? What are you thinking?" Eliza turned to Giles and took his hands in hers.
"You're going to like this possibility less than your own theory. It works if the mayor is a vampire."
Giles stared at her for a moment in shock and then kissed her swiftly, surprising her.
"Come on, Eliza!" Giles threw back the covers and stood up. "Darling, we have research we need to do now. We will have plenty of time for us later, I promise you." He lifted her off the bed and kissed her again, deeply. "Come, let’s get dressed. The sooner we finish. . . ."
"The sooner we can start," Eliza finished, grinning.
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