Title:  Witches' Ladder 3/3
Author:  Jadedragon
Rating:  PG-13
Pairing:  Buffy/Giles, of course.
Summary:  Dawn discovers a box of books written by her and Buffy's great grandfather, who was a Watcher.

Disclaimer:  Not mine, Buffy and company belong to Josh, Mutant Enemy, the WB and UPN. I'm just playing with them a little while and will return them. (Can't I just keep Giles?)

Spoilers:  Season 5 up until but not including Checkpoint. Riley is already history, though. I never liked Captain Cardboard.

Notes:  Montague Summers actually existed. He was a scholarly writer who believed in the existence of vampires. The books I have attributed to him are still available and can be ordered at Amazon.com. His appearance, strange as it may seem, was taken from a picture I found of him on the web, right down to his most unusual hairstyle.
The Malleus Malficarum was the book written in the Middle Ages that was used by the Inquisition identify, hunt down, accuse and sentence witches to death.
The properties of the herbs mentioned in the story come from Cunningham's Encyclopedia of Magical Herbs.

Thanks:  To a wonder beta, Aleta, who kept my timeline in line and helped me iron out the kinks in my story.

* * * * *

At the restaurant Dolorada noticed that Montague was very quiet and withdrawn. She went to him as they left the restaurant.

"Montague, what's wrong?" she asked him, sensing the deep depression that he was feeling.

"I don't know where I go from here. The life I knew is gone. I was so alone in that life but I had a purpose. I was trying to save my son from the Council. I could still write, but under what name? This world is so different from the one I left. Dolorada, I have accomplished the greatest goal of my life, but what now? When I see Rupert and Buffy together, it hurts so much. They have their lives to spend together. I miss Catronia so very desperately. I never realized it until tonight when I saw the deep love between my great granddaughter and her Watcher. I could almost see the bond growing between them."

"Montague, did you ever get to tell Catronia goodbye?" she asked realizing that he may have never released his grief after his wife's death.

"No. I wasn't with her when she died. Maurice was colicky that night and I stayed with him while she patrolled alone. When she didn't return, I took Maurice to her mother's the next morning and went looking for her. I found her body three miles from where we lived. She was battered and bruised, her neck cleanly broken. I was inconsolable. If not for Maurice, and knowing that I couldn't let the Council know of his existence, I would have joined her." He told Dolorada, his voice breaking.

It was several minutes before he could continue. "Adelina helped me make all the arrangements. When I left to return to England, she took Maurice and went back to her native Italy," he told her with tears in his eyes.

"Before you can begin a new life, you must put to rest your old one. You have never come to terms with Catronia's death."

"How can I? I can't forget her, I loved her."

"I can see that. I also see that you have never released the bond that was growing between you. Until you do and come to gripes with her death, you can never truly move forward. You have been suffering from her death since it happened."

"But, what can I do?"

"What would Catronia want for you?"

He stopped and wondered. He hadn't thought of what Catronia would have wanted. He had only thought of his pain and loss. He had lost not only his wife, but also his son. He had lived with the pain of these losses since her death. He was so wrapped in pain that he had never given any thought to what she might have wanted for him or their son. He looked at Dolorada with painful surprise on his face. "I never thought about what she would have wanted for me or Maurice. I was too consumed with my own grief and pain."

"Montague, I feel that it is time for you to tell her goodbye and let her tell you how she feels and what she wants for you."

"What do you mean?"

"I know how you distrust witches, but let me help you. As I told you yesterday at my home, I am also a seer. Since Catronia is of my line, I should be able to channel her spirit."

"You would do this for me?" he asked hesitantly.

"Yes, I see before me a good man who has been in pain for too long. I have always been drawn to help others. I believe that is why I was given these special gifts. Not all witches use their powers for their own personal gain." She assured the man before her.

"I'm coming to realize that. You, Willow and Tara are the only witches that I have met in this time and each of you have only used your `gifts' as you called them, to help. Maybe you can teach this old dog some new tricks." He told her realizing that his witch phobia was becoming much less. "Is there a spell or something that you cast?"

"Not really, I'll go into a trance. I usually burn some herbs and have a candle to use as a focus, but there is no spell, per se."

"When could we do it and where?"

"Why don't we get Buffy and Rupert to go with us to the Magic Box. Its quiet there and we won't be interrupted," Dolorada suggested to the cautious man before her.

"Will this harm you?" he asked the woman who was becoming his friend.

"No. I will be a little tired afterwards, but nothing a good nights sleep won't cure," she assured him.

"Then `Lead on McDuff'," he told her.

They quickly rejoined the others who had been talking at the cars, still winding down from all of the excitement of completing the spell and wondering how soon they would be hearing from the Council. Dolorada assured them that it would only be a short time before the Council contacted Buffy, since she was the active Slayer. Dolorada spoke with Rupert and Buffy, to make arrangements to meet them back at the shop as soon as they broke up.

Dolorada parked her car beside Giles BMW and walked over to a patch of weeds growing under the light near the back door to Giles' shop. She picked several items and then joined Giles, Buffy and Montague at the back door as Giles opened it with his key. Giles helped Dolorada gather what she needed as she explained to him and Buffy what she was going to attempt. Once the items were gathered, she lit the incense charcoal and placed it in the censor sitting before her on the tarot table. She had Montague to sit across from her with Buffy on her right and Rupert on her left. Once the charcoal was fully ignited, she looked at Montague.

"I said this is not a spell, but I use herbs to help me enter into the trance state. Outside I found two of the herbs I'll use, Rupert had the other in stock. Each herb has mystical properties, which can be used to enhance spells, entering into trance states, whatever the user needs of them. The fresher the herbs, the more potent their power, that is why I picked the dandelion and grass outside. Granted they will smoke more and the smell with be more potent, but so will the magic they emit. Dandelion is used for calling spirits, grass for promoting psychic powers and rosemary is for love, remembrance and healing," She explained to Buffy and Montague. Rupert already knew of the herbs properties.

Dolorada then turned and brought the censor to set before her as she placed the herbs, one at a time onto the white-hot charcoal. Once they were smoldering, she lit the white candle sitting just above where the censor was. As the smell of the burning herbs permeated the room, she concentrated on the flame of the candle. It was several minutes before she spoke.

"I ask the spirit of my Aunt Catronia to come to me. One is here who wishes to speak to you. One you loved in life and left too soon." Dolorada's head slowly dropped to her chest as she finished her plea.

She felt pulled to this body. Who would call her and why. She was finished with the world. She had done her job, protected the innocent and given her life. Slowly she raised the head of the body she now inhabited. As she looked across the table, she saw a man she never thought to see again. He had aged, but she recognized him.

"Montague? Is it really you?" she asked in amazement.

"Oh, Catronia. You have come back to me."

"Only briefly, my love, I can't stay. Why did you call me?"

"I have been so lost without you. I've been so alone."

"What about Maurice?" She asked, afraid something had happened to her son.

"Your mother raised him. We hid him from the council. He grew up and had a good life. To your right is Buffy. She is your great granddaughter and the current Slayer. Rupert, on your left is her Watcher. They are bonded as we were and will be going to London to help reorganize the Council."

"Montague, I'm glad our son's family has prospered. But why are you in so much pain."

"I still grieve for you. I don't know how to let go."

"Montague, I loved you with all of my heart, but I want you to be happy. I knew that my life would be short, but I was more blessed than most Slayers were. I had a wonderful Watcher who loved me, made me his wife and gave me a wonderful son. I always expected that you would remarry after my death. I wanted you to. I never wanted you to be alone. No one should be alone. Promise me that you will find someone to share the rest of your life with."

"But…"

"Promise me. I don't have much longer to stay. Montague, I truly want you to be happy. You have grieved long enough. Find love."

"I'll always love you, Catronia. I will try, that is all that I can promise right now. I'll try," he promised, tears flowing down his face.

"That is enough, my love. Remember me, but don't grieve anymore," she said as her head slowly descended to her chest.

When Dolorada came to herself, a few minutes later, tears were still on her cheeks and Montague was openly crying in Buffy's arms. She remembered what Catronia had said to him and knew that he had a lot to work through.

Once Montague had calmed himself, she invited him to come back with her to LA. She felt that she could help him in coming to terms with everything that had happened to him over the last three days. He had a lot to adjust to and he might want to look up his grandson, who she knew to be in LA.

Montague agreed to accompany Dolorada when she extended the offer. He sensed in her a strong presence of his beloved Catronia, and wanted to get to know her better. He also wondered, could his son still be alive? Once he came became more accustomed to this new time, he would search for him. Maybe Willow would get on that box of hers and find him.

**********

One week later

Giles was waiting on a customer when a man who looked like a Watcher entered the Magic Box. He watched Giles and when the customer left he approached him.

"Mr. Giles, allow me to introduce myself. I am Nigel Abernathy from the Watcher's Council. May I speak with you and Ms. Summers? It is of the utmost importance."

"I expect Buffy any time now; she comes here for training each day after her classes. We can talk when she gets here. Would you like some tea?" Giles offered the Watcher.

Mr. Abernathy, sitting at the tarot table, had just started drinking his tea when the Slayer entered the building.

"Giles, are you ready to get your butt kicked?" Buffy asked as she joined her Watcher at the tarot table where he was sitting with a man she didn't recognize.

"Buffy, this is Nigel Abernathy. He is from the Council and wants to speak with us," he told her, not letting on that they had expected this visit.

"And what does the Council want with me now? The last time I saw any of you, my mother was held by an insane vampire, my Watcher at the Council's orders poisoned me and then Giles was fired. Why should I want to see anyone from the Council?" Buffy asked the man, letting her anger at how they'd been treated show in her voice.

"I am here to correct the terrible wrongs done to you Ms. Summers and to you Mr. Giles. It was recently discovered that one family had obliterated much of the history of the Slayers and the natural bond that occurs between her and her Watcher. Many family lines were eradicated to destroy this bond, which let the Slayer live a more normal life span. Three hundred years ago, it was the Slayer and her Watcher, who were in charge of the direction the Council would take. Lord Maxwell Travers took it upon himself to change the way that the Council had operated for over a thousand years to gain control of the Council for his own selfish motives. Quinton Travers, his entire family and anyone associated with him have been banished from the Council. I am here to reinstate Mr. Giles and pay him retroactively from the time that Mr. Travers fired him. Also, once a Slayer has proven herself, she too receives a paycheck. Ms. Summers, you also will be paid retroactively from the time of the Cruciamentum. All the resources of the Council are at your disposal. We will be glad to ship whatever you need here to Sunnydale. We will see to whatever you need. The Council is here to serve the Slayer and her Watcher. This is how it was meant to be and this is how it will be. I am here to offer the Council's sincerest apologies for our neglect of you when you asked our help a year and a half ago. That will not happen again."

Buffy and Giles looked at each other, floored by what Nigel had told them. This was more than either thought would happen.

"I understand that this is a bit of a shock. The Council is still trying to get reorganized. We would like for both of you to come and help with the reorganization. No one knows more about what a Slayer needs than you would, Ms. Summers. Mr. Giles you could help us in our training methods, which were badly influenced by the Travers family. The entire method of training has to be changed. We desperately need you help and input," Nigel finished.

"How do we know that this has actually taken place?" Giles asked the young Watcher.

"Lord Henry Ashton is overseeing the restructuring of the Council, Mr. Giles. He said that you were more than welcome to call him to verify what I have told you."

"Who is Lord Ashton?" Buffy asked.

"Lord Ashton is one of the most honest, trustworthy men that I know. He helped me when I returned to the Council and has been trying to get Travers and his cronies ousted for years. He saw the destruction Travers decisions were causing. Of all of the people that I would have chosen to head the restructuring of the Council, he would be at the top of the list. Buffy we can trust him," Giles assured her.

"Nigel, I think that we need a couple of days to discuss everything that you have told us and I want to talk to Lord Henry. This is not the best time for Buffy to leave, she is in the middle of her third semester of college."

"I understand, sir. I will be in town for a few days to make some arrangements. Lord Henry wants us to establish a training center here for your use and the training of future Slayers and their Watchers. I will be looking for a facility for this purpose. I can be reached at the Sunnydale Hilton until Friday. Please call me if I can answer any other questions for either of you," Nigel told them as he stood and left the store.

"Wow. Everything that Montague said was true," Buffy said to her Watcher. She opened the envelope that Nigel had handed to her before he left and looked at the check in her hands. It was more money than she had ever seen in one place. "I want to take a long vacation," she said when she got her voice back.

"Well, it looks like we have a trip to England to make."

"Will you show me London?"

"It will be my pleasure. It'll be good to get away, just the two of us."

"Maybe we can work on this bond thing," Buffy said as she thought of being alone with him in London.

THE END