“When you say ‘stab’, do you mean actually stabbing him?  Cause that could be quite… neat,” Spike said with a smirk.

 

As Buffy snickered softly, both Joyce and Giles glared at Spike.  “That is really not funny Spike, considering what we have seen her do to Angel.  Really not funny at all.”

 

“Okay people, enough with the making of the funny.  I require information as to who Mr. Giles is, and why he is in Sunnydale.”  Buffy spoke with absolutely no humor in her voice.

 

Giles stood up, and began to pace slowly back and forth in front of those assembled in the living room.  “Right, well as you’ve surmised I am a Watcher. I was sent here by the Council to keep an eye on the Hellmouth here in Sunnydale.  They suspected that it was active but didn’t think it was serious enough to warrant a Slayer being stationed here.  In the 3 years I have been here, I have come to believe otherwise, but the Council feels that my reports are exaggerated somewhat and refuse to even consider sending a Slayer here.”

 

Buffy broke into Giles’ speech, “You are aware that they have a Slayer stationed in Cleveland then?”

 

“Yes, I am quite aware of this.  I was told that if something of apocalyptic nature appeared, I was to ask for assistance ‘through the proper channels’.  By which they, of course, mean contacting the Council, who would then contact the Slayer and her Watcher.”

 

“By which time, the bleeding apocalypse would have occurred and the whole world would have gone to hell in a hand basket.  Right Giles?”  Spike snarked.

 

“Indeed, Spike.  It would appear as if the Council has ulterior motives, but they are very set in their ways and these things must be done according to tradition,”  Giles said.

 

“Tradition my ass.  More like they just don’t want to move off their fat asses and actually concern themselves with something other than the proper brewing of a cup of tea,” Joyce exclaimed.  “Rupert, you, Spike and the kids risk your lives on a daily basis and those morons you work for couldn’t give a damn.  Some days I think they would prefer it if you were dead!”

 

“Come now Joyce, it’s not as bad as all that.  They just don’t feel the situation here warrants the attentions of a Slayer,” Giles spoke soothingly.

 

“So, the Harvest, which by the way almost cost you your life, Watcher, the Master’s rising, the Anointed One, Drusilla showing up and trying to de-soul the poof, not to mention her attempt to open that damned hunk of rock, aren’t considered serious?” Spike ranted at Giles.  Turning to Buffy he clarified, “Any one of those things I mentioned could have had disastrous consequences for this town, if not the entire world.”

 

Buffy looked at Spike.  “Wait a sec; did you say “The Master”?  As in Heinrich NEST?”

 

“Yup, that’s the one.  Old bat-face himself.  Why?  You know him?” Spike asked.

 

“Heard of him.  Nasty piece of work, that one.  And the Council didn’t think that him breaking free of his prison warranted a Slayer’s involvement?” Buffy asked with a deep note of incredulity in her voice.

 

“Nope, in fact, as I recall, they told the Watcher that one old vampire couldn’t be all that bad,” Spike responded.

 

Buffy dropped her head into her hands, in an attempt to muffle her screams of frustration.  After a few moments, she raised her head, pinning Giles where he stood with a single glance.  “Go on, I know there is more to this than you are telling me.  You were sent here to watch the hellmouth.  I get that.  Where do those kids, and my family fall into this whole mess?”

 

“I met Joyce shortly after she moved to Sunnydale.  Oddly enough it was Willow who introduced us.  Joyce had posted a notice at the high school looking for a babysitter for Dawn a couple of nights a week,” Giles began.

 

Joyce interrupted, “Only for the nights I had to work late at the gallery.  I figured I could find a responsible girl at the high school.  And it worked.”

 

“Yes, well, at any rate, Willow asked me if I would be willing to give her a character recommendation.  Tell Joyce what a good girl she was and all that.   Joyce came to the library at the high school, and well…” Giles paused, clearly embarrassed.

 

“What the Watcher won’t tell you Love, is that he made a complete ass out of himself when he saw Joyce.  Kept stumbling over his words and all that.  Made a right prat outta himself.”  Spike informed Buffy.

 

Giles glared at Spike. “Thank you Spike, I had almost forgotten that.  How kind of you to remind me,” Giles said with a sarcastic twist to his lips.

 

Spike winked at Buffy and replied cheekily, “You are welcome.”

 

Giles groaned and looked imploringly at Joyce.  “Please tell me that I can stake him?  I know he’s a relative and all, but… PLEASE!  He’s getting annoying, more so than usual.”

 

“Now Rupert, you know you can’t do that.  Besides, you can be just as annoying.”  Joyce snickered, and then looked at Buffy. “It must be a family trait.”

 

“Wait a sec, relative?  These two are related?  As in more than just the whole both being British thing?” Buffy inquired.

“Yup, he’s the great great nephew of my older sister.  Guess that makes me his uncle, of a sort.” Spike said.

 

Buffy blinked twice, and then looked back and forth between the two men, peering at each of them with an unwavering gaze.  This caused Giles to blush and fidget, while furiously cleaning his glasses, and caused Spike to smirk at her, while he curled his tongue against his upper teeth.  “Something tells me this is gonna be a good one.  So, onto my second question.  Spike, who are you and what are you doing in Sunnydale, and what are you doing NOT causing death and destruction like all evil vampires should?”