~*~

Giles looked tired and drawn when he finally settled into Dawn’s old room. The weary Watcher hadn’t been able to sleep well since the call from Willow nearly a week before. Magic and demon summoning were dangerous even for a well-trained practitioner. In the hands of rank, childish, amateurs or megalomaniacs, it was usually fatal to all involved. He well remembered his days as Ripper and the fallout
from that mess.

It pained him to realize his Buffy might be at risk, not from demons or hellgods, but wankers who had read too many graphic novels and attended one too many Dr. Who conventions. Giles only hoped he was not too late to avert such a disaster.

Bloody stupid children to play with such powerful elements! While they might deserve whatever happened to them, Buffy sure as blazes didn’t!

He had been called on the carpet in London for loose handling of his Slayer. They had insisted that he undergo retraining in how to be a field Watcher to an active Slayer. He had been utterly humiliated at their attitude, but withstood it to stay in his position as Buffy’s watcher.

He’d be double damned if he would lose her again, lay her in the ground one more time. Rupert had felt his heart literally break the last time, felt like he’d aged a decade at least. He had a second chance now. Perhaps the Council had a point; he had to do things right if his Slayer hoped to survive on the Hellmouth.

And Giles had every intention of seeing Buffy reach an age that would cause the Council to write a policy that included retirement benefits for Slayers. If that meant retraining for him and a different attitude towards Buffy, so be it.

First on the agenda, however, was going to be a bit of a nap. He’d just traveled nearly halfway around the globe and it felt as if he’d walked most of it! Buffy was at work right now and Willow was still at school.. He knew that Xander wouldn’t be back until the building crew finished up at the construction site and that allowed plenty of time for some shut-eye.

It was so hard to think of the "children" as working and being adults. It seemed only the yesterday that they were silly upper level twits, quipping and staking while worrying over proms and principals and who was dating whom. It was also strange not to see Anya firmly attached to Xander’s hip. Her bluntness was oftimes embarrassing, yet refreshing in its own way. Anya’s candor had proven useful on more than one occasion, as had the girl herself.

Giles slept the morning through, his peaceful slumbers uninterrupted until mid afternoon when the house came alive again with its inhabitants arrival.

Willow got home first. She had convinced Tara to come home with her and eat supper before the big meeting. Willow looked forward to spending time with Giles again, despite the fact that they hadn’t parted on the best of terms.

Willow had done and said many things while on her magic high. Her success in bringing back Buffy had turned bitter to the taste once she had discovered that she had pulled her best friend from Heaven rather than rescuing her from a hell dimension.

When she had last talked to Giles for any length of time, Willow’s arrogant and ill considered words spoken after Buffy’s return had hung in the air between them, nearly visible in their weight.

Willow had always adored Giles, even had a crush on him that first year after high school. She desperately coveted his good opinion again. She had been trying so very hard to stay away from all things magic. The personal cost to her had been much more than she was willing to pay. If Tara was beginning to see Willow’s determination and come around, maybe Giles could respect her again after this visit, too.

At any rate, Willow was glad for multiple reasons that Tara was with her for this meeting. Tara was her rock, her true strength. Willow had only forgotten that fact for a short, tragic time. She wasn’t going to blow this second chance, not with Tara and not with Giles.

Giles was just coming down the stairs as the girls moved from the entryway towards the kitchen.

"Hey, Giles. How was the trip? Not too bumpy, I hope. Do you want me to have Tara make a proper pot of tea for you? She’s gotten really good at it, no bags at all", Willow said in greeting.

"Willow, Tara. Yes, thank you, a cuppa sounds lovely about now. I’ve only just risen and need to clear the remaining cobwebs. The flight was fine, a bit of turbulence over the Rocky Mountains, but not bad otherwise. It was a bit more unnerving to see my seatmate reading a book about the Donner party as we were being tossed about over that area though", he joked.

"Oh, hehe, yeah, the Donner party and "guess who’s coming to dinner" in the wild mountains….I get it". Willow gave a light laugh.

The three stood in awkward silence for one moment before Willow could stand it no longer and flung herself on the Watcher saying, "God, Giles, I’m so glad you came. We’ve missed you so much and have really made some awful mistakes without you here.

Please say you’ll stay. We need you, we ALL need you"..
Her hug nearly knocked the stuffing out of Giles, but his slightly embarrassed smile showed he didn’t really mind. These young people were, in many ways, like his own children. He hated being estranged from any of them.

"Oh, Willow, mistakes are all a part of growing up, you know that. You have been doing quite well I have been told. You’ll make a fine sorceress once you are ready to properly train. I’ve been talking to the head of a coven that does some work for the Council. She says that after you have distanced yourself from the darkness you embraced, they would love to have you come--both of you, Tara too-- and study proper magics. You can never remove the powers from yourself. In time you will need to learn how to use them as they are intended to be used. I am quite proud of you for stopping when you did and avoiding the temptation to slip back into easy fixes".

As if they had been magic themselves, Giles’ words melted all the uncomfortable feelings and their joyful reunion was unmarred by past words and deeds. Forgiveness was the best, most powerful magic ever created.

The three shared tea and stories with much laughter and love as they waited for Buffy to return home from another long shift at the burger hell of Sunnydale.

"Oh, I can just see Mr. Travers choking on that", exclaimed Willow as she collapsed in laughter, picturing the scene that Giles had just described. They were all still laughing when Buffy came in through the back door.

"Hi guys, Giles! Boy, am I glad to see you! What’s the funny?", she asked the giggling group.

"Mr. Giles was just telling us about something that happened at the Watchers Council last month. He’d have to tell it to really make you see it in all its glory. It’s enough to say that Mr. Travers and mud, lots of mud, do not mix well", Tara said and began to laugh once again.

"I’d love to hear it. Love to see it actually. Hmm, Quentin Travers and mud, I’m kinda liking the mind pictures that gives me", said Buffy.

Giles got up from the table and circled it to hug Buffy to him and whisper, "My dear girl, how I have missed you".

Buffy felt herself tear up in response. She was making way too much with the weepies lately, she decided. "I’ve missed you so much, too, Giles. Please don’t disappear again. I’m no good with goodbyes", she said into his jacket.

"Yes, well, I suppose we should begin to sort out this problem with Lex Luthor and his henchmen. The sooner we put these boys in the hands of the human authorities the better. Why don’t you go up and get cleaned up and comfortable, Buffy. We need to wait for Xander to get here anyway", said Giles.

Willow followed Buffy up the stairs to have a private word with her. "Buffy, Tara and I are still looking for a good spell to find Spike. I just wanted you to know that we are on it and haven’t forgotten"..

Buffy looked at Willow and sighed, "I could sure use things to start going right for a change. Thanks, Will. You haven’t said anything to Giles yet, have you?"

"Nope, not a word will pass these lips", Willow said and made a pantomine of zipping her lips shut. "I figure what Giles doesn’t know won’t hurt us", she said with a smile.

"’K, I’ll be down in a few minutes. Is Xander bringing pizza or should I call for Chinese?". Despite having spent the last several hours surrounded by what passed for food to the general populace, Buffy’s stomach was growling.

"Already taken care of. Tara ordered Italian on our way over. They should be delivering pasta goodness any minute now".
At that, the doorbell rang and the delivery boy was handing wonderful garlic-y smelling sacks to Giles, who was fishing in his wallet to pay the boy.

Xander arrived right behind the delivery boy’s exit and greeted Giles with a warm handshake and the trademark Xander snarkiness. "G-man with an open wallet, just the sight I’ve been dreaming of seeing. What kind of wicked good is in that bag and am I invited?"

"You’re not a vampire, Xander, you don’t need an invitation. And speaking of vampires, I hope it isn’t too much to hope that Spike won’t be joining us this evening". Looking into the bags, Giles completely missed the worried look that passed between the Scoobies.