Interlude by CN Winters

"Andrew? Why on earth are you shaking the bed…On second thought, maybe I don't want to know."

Giles could hear the sadness in the young man's voice. He turned on the nightstand light and reached for his glasses. "Are you alright?"

The Watcher heard him sniff before exhaling a deep sigh. "It doesn't make sense."

"What?" Giles asked when Andrew didn't continue on his own. Quietly the young man sat up too and Giles could tell he'd been crying.

"Why am I alive? I've been asking myself all night. I should be dead. Anya…She was marvelous Mr. Giles. She took down three in one swing. Just like Xena. You know, she could even do the battle cry too better than anyone I ever heard. Of course that might have just been the acoustics in the hospital that day. Plus Anya was shorter and blonde too which would actually make her more like Gabrielle than Xena now that I think about but…" Andrew shook his head to get back on topic. "Anyway, you get the point. She went out fighting – brave and noble. And I meant what I told Xander. He would have been proud of her."

"Well she did have many skills," Giles said with a small, knowing grin. A look of realization washed over Andrew's face at the catch phrase the Watcher used to describe Anya and the 'Warrior Princess' in the same breath. "Tell no one," Giles whispered conspiratorially. "If any of the others knew I watched that campy television series I'd never hear the end of it."

"Your secret is safe with me…" Andrew said with a brief grin. "Anyway, it doesn't seem right. I battled one guy and the only reason he died is because he tripped and fell into another bringer's sword… I took that single goof to stab the other one and he fell on top of me… and that's when I saw it. I looked up for just a second…I tried to move…to get to her…" Andrew continued as Giles listened to not only his words but also the strain in his voice. "I saw him. The one coming up behind her…but I just couldn't get there in time and he cut her – nearly in half. It was like…she froze. And it wasn't like in the movies where someone has a huge dramatic death. I don't know how to explain it. But she didn't cry. She didn't scream. She just…stopped. And then she fell over – dead."

"He just kept running like the other two that were still upright. I don't think they realized I was alive…well that or they just wanted to get out. I managed to pull the dead bringer off of me when someone reached down and told me we had to get out."

"Yeah," he replied with a nod. "But not like Xander. I mean, I keep remembering that tape I made and the conversation I recorded between them. He really loved her and she loved him. And now she's dead…and it's my fault."

Giles watched as Andrew quickly wiped his eyes. "How do you figure?" the Watcher asked.

"I was her partner. Her back up. The Spock to her Kirk. The Riker to her Picard. The- "

"…The thing is I let her down," Andrew muttered. "I let Xander down. I let everyone down."

"You did what you could. We all did. You think that I don't feel some sense of guilt over the fact my partner was sliced? That if I had reacted a split second sooner Robin would be walking around fine tonight instead of being monitored by Faith? I do feel that guilt…but I also know that I did the best I could. That's all any of us can do."

"If you don't mind me asking Mr. Giles. How did you survive? I mean…you're a Watcher not a fighter."

"You think a Watcher can't be a fighter?" Giles answered with a grin. "It's our duty to train fighters so we should know something about it wouldn't you say?"

"Now keep in mind," Giles continued, "we don't have Slayer skills b-but in some Watcher's case, such as myself, we study the warrior arts. Some study crossbow, martial arts…I was a fencer years ago – a rather good one I should add. A-And it's a skill like riding a bicycle – you don't forget."

Andrew gave a slight grin. "That's pretty cool…Seems like you have a real purpose. That's great."

Giles paused a moment. He wasn't sure what to add but he could see that Andrew, despite his shortcomings did have a good heart. Didn't he himself have reckless moments in his youth? Didn't his trusted ally and friend, Willow, try to destroy the world a year ago? People change but deep down they always remain what they are – what they were intended to be. Some people like himself, Willow and even Faith find their calling while some do not. Giles knew the events that happened hours before profoundly affected the young man.

"Look Andrew…You don't have to answer now but I'm going to be starting a Watcher's Council in Cleveland. You're welcome to come along if you like."

"No," Giles said with a grin and watched as Andrew's face fell. "However we do need help in other areas. Someone to make sure things run smoothly for us."

Yes that's exactly what I mean, Giles considered silently. But he wanted to be sure to put it in a better light.

"Well, we'll be busy setting things up s-so we'll need an individual who can get things done for us that are important but perhaps not directly related t-to the act of Watching or Slaying. As I said, think it over-."

Giles chuckled lightly at his enthusiasm. "Well, first order of business. Don't tell anyone. I haven't approached the others yet. Do you think you can handle that?"

"Well, you're infuriating at times and bloody hell annoying at others but…I think your heart is in the right place. You had many chances to run from this fight and you didn't. I admire that Andrew. I truly do."

Andrew nodded and began to lay back down as Giles took off his glasses and turned off the light before settling in himself.

"Morning," Dawn said to the breakfast table, everyone was present except for her sister. "Hey, where's Buffy?"

Dawn poured two cups of orange juice and headed outside. She found Buffy lying in the sun on a chaise as she walked over. "Sister bearing sun kissed refreshments," she announced.

Buffy turned and smiled. "Hmm, yummy," she said taking the glass as Dawn took a seat beside her.

"So how'd it go last night?" she asked. "With Xander? Figured you guys would need your space." Buffy chuckled at her sister's comment. "What's so funny?" she asked.

"Well last year you'd probably be complaining because I put you in a room with two other Slayers or you'd be asking why you couldn't be 'part of the gang'."

Buffy just grinned and continued, "But really…it looks good on you Dawn. And to answer your question it was Will that got Xander to bed. I think losing Tara helped – oh boy did that come out all wrong."

"No I get it – misery loves company. And we certainly have our company here don't we?"

A small silence passed between them as they both thought about people they cared for and lost – Jenny, Joyce, Tara, Anya, Amanda. Even the short-lived friendship Dawn had with Cassie came to mind. But there was one in particular that was at the forefront in the mind of the Slayer's sister.

"I'm gonna miss Spike," Dawn said quietly. "No matter how old I got I always envisioned he'd call me lil bit. But now, no one ever will again."

Dawn paused a moment to give her sister a serious examination. "Are you okay with it Buffy? Well maybe not okay but more hurt than you're letting show?"

"Well," Dawn began in a teasing, sing-song voice, "there was this cute girl in gym class I fancied before the apocalypse broke out and-."

"Very funny," Buffy said with a gentle smile. "And yes I'm okay. I'm not great but I'm not…well…I'm not Xanderish about it…But yeah, I'm gonna miss him and at some point I think it's gonna hit me harder. I'll cry. I'll mourn. But I'll think about how proud he looked when I last saw him. He was doing the right thing Dawn."

"Watched bad 50's horror flicks until we passed out. I think we all fell asleep together but when I woke up Will was gone."

"Well, by the grin on Kennedy's face this morning, I think it's safe to assume Willow made it back to her room at some point."

After a few sips of orange juice Dawn continued, "So what are we going to do now? Sunnydale's gone now. Along with the house. All of our stuff that wasn't in a duffle bag…So any idea where we go from here?"

"I'm not sure. I'm just gonna enjoy my first day of retirement," she told her sister. "But I promise after I've had a chance to put it all together I'll give you an answer this week…I mean I know I'd like to travel but we need to find you a steady home, a school that is hopefully demon free and a chance for us to…I don't know…get to know each other…I told you it was a big world and I wanted to show you things – teach you, train you in how to be strong," Buffy added with a grin. "I wanna keep my promise Dawn but I don't think I'll ever be able to do that as a Slayer. I want that to be my focus right now if that's okay with you."

"Good. Because I want to know who my sister is and I want her to have as much of a normal life as possible."

"Stable but exciting and fun filled. Think I can manage that," Buffy said with a smile.

"Kennedy," Giles asked coming over to the sofa where Kennedy was lying with her head in Willow's lap. "Do you mind if I have a word with Willow alone?"

Kennedy looked back and forth between the Watcher and her lover as she rose. "Sure," she answered, giving Willow access to leave.

Giles motioned Willow to follow him, which the redhead did, without comment. He took her outside to the front of the house and once they had their privacy the witch spoke.

"No one's dead. Everything is fine…I just have a proposition for you that I didn't want to mention in front of Kennedy."

"This isn't one of the indecent variety is it? Because that would just be creepy."

"No," Giles said as he chuckled. "I'm going to Cleveland Willow. And I'm rebuilding the Watcher's Council there. And I'd like you to come with me but I don't know if you and Kennedy have made any future plans yet and I didn't want to put either one of you on the spot for an answer. I thought I'd speak to you first to see if it's something that both of you might be interested in."

"Aside from what we'd like for dinner? We're not thinking that far ahead at the moment. Still kinda worn out, ya know?"

"Certainly," Giles agreed. "But I've been considering it. I wanted to ask you in private; t-to test the waters. She, of course, is welcome too but…my history is with you. I thought I should ask you first."

"I need someone I trust to help me run the council. In addition, the coven is still in England but I'd like to form one here in the states. And I'd like you to run it."

"I don't know what to say," Willow answered, as her grin grew larger by the second.

"I'm hoping you'll say yes," Giles told her. "It's the perfect opportunity to put your Wicca skills and knowledge to use. You could give guidance and training to many young men and women. I think you have knowledge that would be wonderful to impart."

"So I'm the first one," Willow beamed. Giles didn't say anything but Willow could recognize that look of guilt anywhere. "Okay so I'm not the first one?" she asked.

Giles sighed. "He's trying to find his place and you know as well as I do he had many opportunities to flee if he wanted to. All of us did and like all of us he stood his ground."

Willow had to give Giles that. It was true. Andrew might have been scared but he wasn't a coward. "Andrew," she mumbled.

"I need someone to run the day to day activities for what I have in mind and I think it would suit him well."

"Yes. But I also need your research skills and intellect. I've met some highly intelligent people in my years but I must say you are one of the brightest I've come across." Willow blushed slightly and broke eye contact until Giles continued. "This won't be an easy venture but I need you. And if you feel you can't do it I understand. I'll have no ill feelings. But with this-this new council as it were, I have the chance to keep the Watchers alive for all these active Slayers. I can 're-write' and update the council creed and bring it up to the 21^st century."

"Gee, Giles, to do that would mean computers too and I know how allergic you are."

Giles grinned. "Yes, as much as I hate to admit it – that's part of it. Doesn't mean I have to like it you know? But it is what one might call a necessary evil."

"You have your opinion I have mine," he said with a grin. "Let's agree to disagree shall we?"

"Well I mean you," Willow corrected herself. Giles tried to hold back his grin. He was close to getting a confirmation. He could feel it. "I can't say I'm on board until I talk things over with Kennedy. But I'm interested – no doubt there," Willow added.

"To be honest I'm not sure. I need money. I have some but I'm not sure if it's enough to get started."

"I mean…with the council gone kaboom, what happened to all their money? Not like they'd leave that under a mattress some place, right?"

"I'm not sure. It's probably sitting in a Swiss Bank account somewhere," Giles shrugged.

"There's money to be had. Probably lots and lots of money that's doing nothing but earning a return for a bank out there…To the victor go the spoils Giles."

"Oh come on. A little hack here, a little hack there. Here a hack; there a hack. Everywhere a hack hack."

"Cell, schmell," Willow brushed him off with a wave of her hand. "I just find a few accounts, change a few names. Where's the harm?"

"Well yeah when you put it that way," Willow said with a sarcastic snort. "But think about it Giles. That money is sitting there doing nothing. It was used to fight evil in the world. You're taking up that fight now – you are the rightful heir."

"It's not spin. It's fact…And don't let this go to your head but there isn't anyone else out there as qualified as you. You've been in the trenches for 7 years now and not tucked behind some ivy clung palace. You know what this battle is all about. The council was so far removed from what it takes to-."

"I understand," Giles interrupted. "I do. And you are right. No one has contacted me except for Robson and he has had no contact from anyone either."

"This from a man that broke into the council to claim the only known books on the First to avoid bureaucracy?"

"Well that was different." Willow didn't reply she just cocked her head and raised her eyebrows in disbelieve. "Okay so it's no different but still…I don't want to endanger you," the Watcher added.

"Giles I've been endangering myself since sophomore year. Ya think I'm gonna stop now? Especially with something this important?"

"You're not asking. And at this point I'm not offering either. I'm gonna do it Giles. You need it. It's not an overstatement to say the world needs it. A-And you know me well enough that you're gonna get the money regardless of what you say. I've made up my mind."

"Sounds like a bit of a commitment on your part. Sure you don't want to speak with Kennedy first as you planned?" Giles smirked.

"I'm her way. Where I go, she goes. Or so she told me…Guess I find out how true that is because it looks like I'm going to Cleveland," Willow concluded with a grin.

Kennedy looked over at the sound of the door opening and watched as Willow and Giles entered with their arms linked. They grinned and spoke to each other. Giles said something and Willow gave a nod.

Next the Watcher kissed the Wiccan on the cheek and made his way toward the kitchen. Unsure of just what the touching exchange meant, Kennedy rose from the sofa and closed the distance between her and Willow.

"49ers…?" Kennedy looked confused at first but found her voice. "Well, yeah. But what's that got to do with-."

"Ever consider becoming a Browns fan instead?" Willow asked with a smile as she led Kennedy by the hand upstairs.

Giles passed Dawn as she re-entered the house carrying two empty juice glasses. "Is Buffy still outside?" he asked as he walked.

"Oh hey Giles!" Buffy said sitting up. "I thought it was Dawn asking me to take her someplace."

"Yeah. She wanted to go to the mall today but I told her I'm not going anywhere for the next 24 hours. She did, however, manage to talk me into a movie studio tour before the end of the week, which prompts me to ask…how did you do it?"

Giles simply grinned. "If you remember correctly I didn't succeed most of the time. And I must admit," he said sparing a glance toward the house. "You certainly have your hands full now."

"This is the Watchers curse isn't it? Giving me an incorrigible sister to look after. I thank you muchly."

"Twas nothing," he nodded with a small grin. "And lest we forget she has Summers blood."

Buffy settled back as if she was reflecting for a moment. "Was I really that bad? Not that Dawn is bad. She's got her moments – like last night, giving the Scoobies and me space but…then again she's…well she's got her moments! Like not taking no for an answer and whittling me down until I cave into what she wanted to do." Buffy paused a moment. "You know, now that I said that out loud…Don't bother answering that question. I remember. I was that bad."

"You, like Dawn, always did the proper thing when it mattered most," he offered anyway. "Even at 16," he added in afterthought. He looked as if he was about to speak again but stopped and Buffy noticed the shift in mood.

"Do you have bad news? Did someone just die because-? " Buffy asked motioning toward the house.

"There sure is," Buffy countered. "Your lips purse, your eyes get squinty and if you didn't have those new, hip contact lens you've been wearing you'd be cleaning your glasses right about now. So what gives?"

He chuckled, pinching the bridge of his nose as he gave up pretending. "Yes, you're correct. I do have 'Giles face' as you say…I needed to ask you something."

Giles paused a moment to organize his thoughts. "I'm forming a Watchers Council in Cleveland and I'd like to know if you'd come aboard."

He nodded. "I'm trying to talk to everyone, individually so they don't feel they have to join us and I'd like-."

"Well at this point Willow has agreed to come which I'm assuming means Kennedy as well," he told her. In a smaller voice he added, "And Andrew."

"Andrew? You asked Andrew before you asked me? I mean Willow sure – she's the brainy-ac. I could see why you'd ask her but-."

Buffy paused a moment, considering his choice of words. "Wait a second. All?…You mean you asked Andrew before you asked Willow?"

"Look, it doesn't matter who I asked first," Giles replied trying to get back on topic.

"Of course she was but I didn't have a choice. He was crying last night a-and I felt- ."

"You big push over," Buffy teased. "Damn. If I'd know that crying was the key to getting my way think of all the clashes with you I could have avoided all these years."

"Sorry," she said with a grin. "A new Watchers Council with you and Willow at the helm I'm assuming?"

"Yes," he replied. "And I need people to oversee the Slayers we'll be bringing into the group. You were the chosen one Buffy. I'd like you to be a part of it as well."

"Does that mean you won't do it?" Giles asked. "As I told Willow I would have no hard feelings if you don't feel that you can join but…y-you're presence and experience would be put to good use I assure you." Buffy looked at Giles briefly, the corners of her lips turned downward before she began playing with her fingernails. When she didn't say anything Giles added, "You've got Buffy face."

She gave a forced grin. "I think it's a noble idea Giles. I think you'd do a damn better job than Travers ever did, that's for sure."

"But…" Buffy said with a sigh. "I have to make Dawn my priority now. And I don't think I can do that as a Slayer Giles. I tried but the Slayer duties sidetracked me. I don't think I can do both. I'm sorry."

"I'm not holding anything against anyone that wishes to walk away, least of all you…I-It's true that we all helped the Slayer but you were the Slayer Buffy. That meant that everything fell to your shoulders in the end. After nearly a decade of sustaining that weight I can see your need to take a step back. And I don't think your refusal is rooted in selfishness. You're doing it for Dawn as well. And that's what I find to be a noble idea."

"I wouldn't say it if I didn't mean it…Take your respite Buffy. You've more than earned it."

He could hear a light sob in her voice and his arms found their way around her, tightened the hold. "You'll visit, won't you? Stop by to see us?"

"Count on it," Buffy said as she pulled back and wiped her eyes of the unshed tears that hung there. "And if things get really nasty and you find yourself in a pinch, I'm a phone call away…Of course I'm not quite sure where my phone will be at this point but I'll look into getting a phone and a house that's not buried under a town someplace," she joked. "Point is, you can still always count on me when it really matters."

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Interlude

By CN Winters

Copyright © 2003