Hi, guys. have just finished another conference call from hell while trying to put all of Owl's changes in the Chapter. I wanted to just cut and paste it but I had added some stuff last minute (Again I say thank god for the mute button).Hi CK, nice to hear from you and I promise not that many cliffhangers just gentle slopes, really! But yes, angst is here but hopefully not too much of that too.
Sorry about the cliffhanger Drakkenfyre, ohh, your poor head. Well, here's the next part and just a gentle drop at the end.
Owl - I am so sorry about the plaid. CK is right, you do look all sexy in it. I really am changing my mind. Buffy may not but i am
Note : Good news is that this does not end in a major cliffhanger. Still not much smoochies for our beloved couple but I promise happier moments in Ch5 & 6. Really, ask Owl, she has Ch 5
Spoiler Warning - It has some spoilers up to Normal Again.
Disclaimer - All characters, names etc belong to ME. I am just borrowing them for this short while in order to make them do what I want for a change instead of waiting to see what happens every Tuesday.
Rating - PG .
Title : For All your Good Intentions
Chapter 4b
¡§Ohhh prezzies, we just love prezzies¡¨ Willow squealed as she opened the door to Giles and Xander, their hands full of gifts.
Her maneuverability in the chair astounded Giles. She expertly wheeled herself backwards towards the living room while balancing a tray of drinks on her lap. The house looked the same but he knew that changes had been made to accommodate Willow¡¦s chair. The furniture had been re-arranged and ramps had been built to the front door and back. He knew that the bedrooms were still upstairs and wondered how Willow was going to accomplish that. He would see later, he supposed.
He made his way into the kitchen where he could hear Buffy, Tara and Anya discussing his return.
¡§So why is he here? I mean there¡¦s no big bad, no ones been shot. Why come back now?¡¨
Buffy always did want to get to the point, he smiled paternally.
¡§Well, maybe he just missed us and wanted to come back. It¡¦s been over a year and he may want to see the improvements I have done to the Magic Box. They have increased profits by 15%¡¨
¡§I,..I th. think that we should just wait for Mr. Giles to tell us in his own time.¡¨ As she turned, she saw him hovering at the kitchen entrance, Hi, Mr. Giles. Hope you¡¦re not jet lagged¡¨ Tara greeted him.
¡§No, no, I managed a bit of a rest at Xander¡¦s. Can I help with anything?¡¨
¡§It¡¦s ok, we¡¦re finished here¡¨ Buffy answered curtly as she moved around him to get to the living room.
¡§She¡¦s just¡Kshe¡¦ll be ok now that you¡¦re back¡¨ Anya patted his shoulder and followed after Buffy.
¡§It¡¦s really is good to see you Mr. Giles, we¡¦ve all missed you so very much. It¡¦s been a difficult year. We¡¦re ALL glad you¡¦re back¡¨ Tara smiled and ushered him into the living room.
Yes but for how long, Giles thought to himself. He could hear Dawn trying to figure out what was wrapped in the presents. He had better distribute them and hope that they would still be accepted after he told them the reason, the real reason he was back.
¡§Does it sound like car keys? It could be car keys¡K.¡¨ Dawn was busy trying to shake a little green box.
¡§It¡¦s not car keys, Dawn. You¡¦re not getting a car. We¡¦re Summerses, we¡¦re not meant to drive¡¨ Buffy shot back.
¡§Mom drove.¡¨ Realizing what she had said, Dawn quietly went back to examining the presents.
¡§Well, I believe it is customary to bring presents after being absent for some time¡¨ Giles exclaimed as he made his way over to the sofa where Dawn sat.
¡§I¡¦m afraid you¡¦re sister is right Dawn, it¡¦s not car keys¡¨ he said as he handed her the green box.
Dawn immediately tore the wrapping and found a beautiful intricate locket on a fine gold chain.
¡§That was my mother¡¦s. She wanted me to give it to my daughter. It¡¦s yours, Dawn. I hope you understand the significance of that.¡¨ Giles explained softly, trying to convey his love in that short explanation. Dawn nodded, her eyes filling with tears.
¡§ Now Willow, this is for you. Mind you, I did not pick it out but the man at the computer store did tell me that it¡¦s very popular. I believe it¡¦s called an I-pod. There¡¦s also a signed copy of Edward Lorenz¡¦s book. I believe you were looking for it ¡¨ Giles smiled as he handed over the packages.
¡§Oh, my God, Giles, that¡¦s great, thank you¡K.., thank you so much¡¨ Willow bounced up and down in her chair.
¡§Tara, I got you some prints from the Tate and a palette that I used to use when I considered myself an artist back at university¡¨ Giles said handing her the flat package ¡§I remember how much you love art.¡¨ He smiled at the shy blonde.
Turning to Xander, he continued, ¡§ Xander, did you know my great grandfather helped Sir Horace Jones and Sir John Wolfe-Barry build the Tower Bridge, I guess not since it wasn't public knowledge. But I though you might like one of the original drawing plans.¡¨ Giles held them out and was surprised when Xander drew him into a hug.
¡§Yes, well¡¨ Giles tried to compose himself, he did have 2 more presents to give out, 2 very important gifts.
¡§As for you, Anya - these are papers giving you a majority share in the Magic Box. You have truly earned them.¡¨ He had been planning to do that for quite some time. Anya had indeed made the Magic Box more of a success than he ever could and he loved her for it and for keeping him abreast of the goings on in Sunnydale.
He noticed that Buffy was watching all this with relative silence, as she sat in the armchair facing him. He also noticed that she had picked up that there were no more packages left. No other present to give out. He took a deep breath and plunged ahead ¡§Buffy, I, I did not get you anything. My present to you, well my present to you is my presence, actually. It means, I¡¦m moving back to Sunnydale. If you don¡¦t want me as your watcher then I¡¦ll stay as your friend. I promise I won¡¦t leave¡¨
Her expression did not change as she got up and walked towards the sofa. He was almost afraid that she had not heard, that she did not want him to stay but then she launched herself at him and hung on for dear life. She whispered over and over into his shoulder, ¡§Don¡¦t ever leave¡K.. Promise me¡¨. All he could do was nod and hug her back.
After the food had been demolished and the presents admired, the gang once again found themselves in the living room. Sated and happy, that all the people whom they loved were right there with them. Willow and Tara were on the sofa listening to some Dar Williams songs that Willow had managed to download. Anya was telling Xander her future plans for the shop, perhaps a franchise.
Dawn was sitting at Buffy¡¦s feet on the armchair and he was just coming back from the kitchen when she asked the question he was dreading.
¡§Giles, I am definitely with the Woo and Hoo that you¡¦re back and here to stay. But why now, why not last week or next month?¡¨
He saw that they had all looked up at that. All waiting for him to renounce that as balderdash. To tell them that he missed them and that was all. He wanted to lie, he wanted to run but in the end, he settled for the truth.
¡§There¡¦s a prophecy¡¨ he said as he reached into his pocket for the manifesto.
¡§But this prophecy is more puppy dogs and chocolate goodness right Giles? I mean for once we got lucky, right. Its no the end of the world stuff, this time¡¨ Xander said hopefully.
¡§Well, its not that simple. You see, when Mayor Wilkins was alive for as long as he was, he made deals with a number of Demons, demons like Lurconis. Deals that required ritual sacrifices at certain intervals. It was a symbiotic relationship. The Demons were appeased and the mayor could go on with his unnatural life.¡¨
¡§Who¡¦s Lurconis?¡¨ both Tara and Anya asked simultaneously.
¡§Yeah, big scary demon, worshiped by the mayor, ate babies, Buffy killed it¡¨ Willow summed up nicely.
¡§Don¡¦t tell me, so now that the mayor¡¦s all deader than dead, his going to miss one of these rituals and the Demon in question is not going to be happy¡¨ Buffy continued.
¡§Yes, quite right. The demon is called Han¡¦thu Ladsha. It¡¦s from a very old demon lineage. Very powerful. Its followers periodically gave it human sacrifices to appease it and to reap rewards of power and success¡¨
¡§Fine Giles but what happens when it finds that there¡¦s not going to be a Machappy person to eat this time - end of the world¡K.. we¡¦ll be force to wear plaid¡K..What?¡¨
¡§Well, I believe it will try and open the Glory¡¦s portal¡¨
¡§What!¡¨ Dawn looked frightened ¡§It was only suppose to be that one time and Buffy closed it, how can it be opened again. I¡¦m not the key anymore!¡¨
¡§No, Dawn, you¡¦re not the key anymore. This demon is very powerful and would want maximum destruction and the area where the portal opened is still a nexus of magical energy. The short time that it remained opened, it acted as a beacon for the demons of this world. If any of the more powerful ones were called, they could try and re-open it with their own blood spell. A spell that has been lost for generations to us and most demons, except one. A spell that we recently found in this book¡¨ he finished as he held up the book.
¡§ So you¡¦re saying that any old demon can just waltz in here and open a portal that a God had a hard time opening. Gotta love the Hellmouth - always keeps you on your toes¡¨ Xander sighed.
¡§Well, Glory was forcibly kicked out of her dimension so she needed to perform a very specific spell to let herself back in. This demon, this Han¡¦thu Ladsha wasn¡¦t kicked out, he just needs to find the door and open it.¡¨ Giles responded.
¡§So, how do I kill it ?¡¨¡K¡K Buffy said, once again coming to the point
¡§You don¡¦t, you need to close the portal for good¡¨ Giles replied
¡§Ok¡K.. Is that some kind of English council code that allows me to kill it but does not want to take the responsibility¡¨ Buffy asked.
¡§No, you see, you can most definitely kill the demon but there will always be others. The most pressing thing is to seal the portal forever¡¨ Giles took off his glasses and began to clean them.
¡§I thought I did that, you know what with the jumping and sacrificing my life and giving up my summer on the beach last year!.¡¨ Uh oh¡K¡KGiles is cleaning his glasses, either he does not want to see us or he does not want to say what he has to say, Buffy thought to herself.
¡§The Tiberius manifesto says that she who closed the portal can seal it forever with blood and magic - A spell that has to be performed during the full moon. The spell casters have to cut your palms and drain some of your blood as a sacrificial offering that can seal the portal forever and dissipate the magical energy surrounding the area. You need to trust the two spell casters absolutely, have no doubt in your mind. One has to cut you while the other will recite the spell.¡¨
Realization dawned on Willow ¡§No. No Giles, I¡K.. we¡K." she indicated to Tara ¡§We don¡¦t do magic anymore. We just don¡¦t. No spell, we¡¦re NOT doing a spell¡¨
¡§Mr. Giles, why can¡¦t you or some members of the council perform the spell?¡¨ Tara asked , while trying to calm Willow.
¡§The casters have to be in sync and trusted by Buffy. I¡¦m afraid my absence here has ruled me out and that of any council member¡¨ Giles replied.
Surprisingly, Anya burst in ¡§Magic, MAGIC!, you waste good Magic Box profits to fly down here to ask Willow and Tara to do MAGIC. What are you? Stupid! Even I learnt that lesson last year. Where were you?¡¨
¡§Uh, Anya, Giles wasn¡¦t at my birthday party last year¡K..¡¨
¡§Even so¡¨ Anya huffed.
¡§An, honey, I don¡¦t think Giles has any choice¡¨ Xander tried to soothe her.
¡§Well, you just have to come up with some other plan Mr.-Council- Watcher -Guy- with-the-books-and-the-bad-news. I won¡¦t do it, I can¡¦t. We don¡¦t do magic anymore¡¨ turning to Buffy, Willow asked ¡§Could you carry me to my chair, I think I need some fresh air. I need to be out of here. I don¡¦t want this.¡¨
Buffy complied and a few minutes later, Willow rolled out the front door, slamming it behind her. Tara, looked around and finally rose ¡§I ha .. have to go after her, its dark out¡¨ and she followed her love.
[This message has been edited by jomarch (edited March 25, 2002).]