Title: Unexpected Guests
Author: Michelle with the help of Jadedragon
Email: mrsdrake@sff.net
Date: January 2004
Rating: PG-13
Pairing: Buffy/Giles
Summary: Buffy and Giles are getting married, and some unexpected guests show up.

Disclaimer: These are not my characters.  They belong to Joss, Twentieth Century Fox, UPN, WB & Mutant Enemy. “And I Love Her” was written by John Lennon and Paul McCartney. This is purely for fun.
Spoilers: This story takes place between seasons three and four, but uses some elements from season five.  If you know about the Magic Box, you’ll be okay.
Author’s note 1:   This is a sequel to Band Cookies, but it can be read as a stand alone.  This starts a week after graduation day.
Author’s note 2:  Giles was put on probation after the events in Helpless, not fired.  Wesley was brought in to be Faith's Watcher, not as a replacement for Giles.  Wesley is supposed to report to the Council if Giles disobeys the Council again.  Faith is not bad.  I use these < > to denote thoughts.

Special thanks to Jadedragon for helping so much with the spells and magick scenes.  Also, thanks go out to my betas, Jade and Mer.

* * * * *

"When can I take off this blindfold?"  Buffy was fidgeting as Giles unlocked the door.

He took her by the hand and led her inside.  "Now."  He helped her remove the blindfold.  "What do you think?"

"Where are we?  This looks like a magic shop."  She walked around looking at things.  "Why did you bring me here?  You said that you had a surprise for me."

"This is my surprise.  I bought this store.  Since we destroyed the school, I no longer have a job."

"So you bought a magic shop?  This is your big surprise."  She looked disappointed.

He took her to the back of the store.  "No.  This is only part of it."  He opened the door at the rear of the store.  "There is a training area back here.  Wesley and Faith helped me put it together.  I know you can't use it now, but later you can.  There is even space for a nursery in the corner."  He looked at Buffy.  She was crying.

"You did all this for me?"

"For us."  He wiped a tear from her cheek.

"When did you buy this?"

"I found an ad for it just after the prom.  It didn't take long to finalize the sale.  The previous owners were eager to sell.  I thought it would be a good wedding present.  Do you like it?"

"It's great.  Thank you."  She stretched up on her toes and kissed him.  "I love you, Rupert."

"I love you, too."  He looked at his watch.  "It will be dark soon.  I'd better get you home.  We have a big day tomorrow."

"Yea, it's not every day that a girl gets married to the man of her dreams."

* * * * *

"Buffy, it's time to go."  Joyce called as she walked up the stairs.  "You don't want to be late."

She pushed open the door to Buffy's room.  "Buffy, are you ready?"  There was no answer.  Looking around, she saw the wedding dress hanging on the closet door, still in the bag. "Buffy?"  A chill crept through her when she noticed the rest of the room.  The lamp was in pieces on the floor, the phone had been pulled from the wall, the curtains had been ripped off the rod, and the window was open.

She ran to the bathroom, hoping that Buffy was there.  "Buffy!"  Buffy wasn't there either.  <I need to call Rupert.  He'll know what to do.>

* * * * *

Giles knew something was wrong before he heard the phone ring. His hand was on the phone before the first ring ended.  “Hello.”

He heard a panicked Joyce on the other end.  “Something’s happened to Buffy.  I only went outside for a short time.  Her room is a mess, and the window. . .”

“Joyce, you need to calm down.”  When he heard her take a couple deep breaths, he continued.  “Now, tell me what happened.”

“I went upstairs to her room to see if she was ready to leave, and she wasn’t there.  It looks like there was a fight in her room, and the window was open.  Her dress was still hanging on her closet door.  I think someone or something took her.”

“Did you hear anything?”

“No.  I had been taking things out to the car.  When I came inside, she was gone.  Why didn’t I hear anything?”  She started to cry.

“I don’t know.  A spell may have been used to muffle any noise they might have made.”  He looked at his watch.  It was nine o’clock.  “When did you last see her?”

“I saw her before I went out to the car.  That was fifteen or twenty minutes ago.”

“Stay there.  I’ll be right over.”

* * * * *

Joyce was pacing frantically when she heard a knock on the door.  She looked through the peephole before opening the door.  “Rupert, please come in.”

“Have you heard anything?”

“No.” 

The phone rang.  “Let me answer that for you.”  Giles picked up the phone in the kitchen.  “Hello.”

He could hear Willow on the other end.  She was talking so softly that he had to really concentrate to hear her.  “Giles, there’s a problem at the church.  Quentin Travers is here with a few others from the council.  They’re looking for you.  You have to get away from here.”

“I’m afraid that it’s too late for that, Willow.  I think they already took Buffy.”

“Oh God.  Giles, I’m sorry.”

“There’s no time for that.  Listen to me.  I am going to try to find her.  Try to stall for as long as possible.”

“Okay.  I gotta go.  Someone’s coming.”

Giles hung up the phone.  “Joyce, will you be all right?”  She nodded.  “Good.  I don’t think they will come here again.  If they do, don’t tell them any more than you have to.”

“Where are you going?”

“I don’t know yet.  I’ll see if I can find a trail of some kind.”  As he turned to leave, he said, “I will find her.”

* * * * *

Buffy had no idea where she was.  She was lying on a couch, still wearing her bathrobe.  When she tried to stand, she became dizzy and had to lie back down.  Her head throbbed.  As she reached back and felt the sore spot on the back of her head, the memories started coming back to her. 

A demon had come in through her window.  She’d tried fighting it, but it easily knocked her down and dragged her to the window.  As she was dragged, she reached for the phone.  It noticed, yanked the phone from her and threw it, knocking over the lamp.  Then, she tried grabbing the curtains, but they just ripped as she pulled on them.  As the demon carried her through the window, she had hit her head on the windowsill. <That must have been when I blacked out.  I can’t remember anything else.  Where am I?  Why did it bring me here?  Demons normally just try to kill me.>

She heard footsteps.  They were getting closer.  “You’re awake.”  It was a man’s voice.  He was obviously British.  “I hope you’re not hurt.  I told him not to hurt you.”

Buffy sat up.  “Where am I?”

“We are at a friend’s house.  I have borrowed it for a while.”

“Who are you?”

“My name is Nicholas.  I will be your watcher.” 

“I already have a watcher.”

“Not for long.  Mr. Giles is being taken back to England to be disciplined properly.”  He gestured to her clothes.  “I thought you might like something else to wear.  I brought you some clothes.”  He set a bag down next to her on the couch.  “I’ll turn my back while you change.”

“Okay, but don’t turn around until I say you can.”  She pulled a T-shirt and sweat pants out of the bag.  She pulled the pants on before taking the robe off a pulling on the shirt.  “Okay.”  When he turned around, she walked toward him.  “Now you are going to take me home.  I am getting married today whether the Council likes it or not.”

“By now the wedding has been called off.  There is no need to hurry.  I think we should take this time to get to know each other better.  If I’m to be your watcher, we need to know more about each other.”

Buffy’s glare made him take a step back, even though he was a head taller than her.  “You will never be my watcher.  Wesley couldn’t replace Rupert, and you can’t even begin to replace Wesley.”  She took two steps toward him.  “Take me home.  Now.”

“I know you’re angry, but those feelings will pass.  You will thank me later.”

“Thank you?  You think I will thank you for kidnaping me on my wedding day.”

“You will feel better when I reverse the spell.”

“What spell?”  She lost control.  She grabbed him by the throat and threw him against the nearest wall.

Slowly, Nicholas got to his feet.  “Mr. Giles put a love spell on you.  It’s happened before with watchers and their slayers.  The watcher becomes infatuated with his slayer.  Usually the Council has been able to stop things before they get this far.  I don’t know how he kept it hidden for so long.”

Buffy couldn’t believe what she was hearing. <He thinks I am marrying Rupert because of a spell.  He’s got to be crazy.> “You think Rupert used a love spell on me?”

“Yes, but I can fix it.”

“And what happens if you try to fix it, and there wasn’t a spell?”

“But there is a spell.  There’s always a spell.  That is how it always happens.”

“Listen to me.  There is no spell.”  She could tell that this approach wasn’t going to work.  She tried another tactic.  “Maybe the reason that he kept it ‘hidden for so long,’ is because it wasn’t a spell.  Maybe the only way the Council can find out about watcher/slayer relationships is if they detect the magic of a spell.”

“Maybe he used other methods on you.  Did he seduce you or use guilt to make you do things?  Slayers have been raped by their watchers.  Some of them tried to kill their watchers, while others tried to pretend it never happened, letting it happen over and over again.”

“Rupert never forced himself on me.  He would never hurt me.  He would die to protect me.  He almost has more than once.”

“It sounds like a love spell to me.”

“Maybe that’s just what the Council wants to believe.  They just can’t imagine a slayer who would fall in love with her watcher.”  She tried to walk to the door.  “I’m going home.”  Something stopped her before she reached the door.  She couldn’t see anything, but she couldn’t walk any farther.

“You can’t leave unless I allow it.  If you need anything, I can go out and get it for you.”

“What I need is to go home.”

Nicholas glared at her, and the look on his face truly terrified her.  He suddenly looked different, and she had no idea what he was capable of doing.  “You will stay here with me whether you like it or not.”  He grabbed her roughly by the arm.  “You will do as I say.”  He dragged her over to the couch and shoved her down onto the seat.  “I am your watcher.”  He grabbed her chin with his other hand forcing her to look at him.  “Do I make myself clear?”

Buffy was too shocked to speak, so she nodded.

“Good.  I really don’t want to hurt you, but I will if you don’t behave.”  As quickly as before, his demeanor changed.  He let go of her chin.  “Now, would you like some lunch?”

* * * * *

Wesley watched as Quentin talked with the two men.  He became more agitated the longer they talked.  “What’s going on?”  He heard Faith ask.

“I don’t know, but it can’t be good.”  He turned to face her.  “Faith, while they’re distracted sneak out.  Go to Buffy’s house and stay with Joyce.”

“Sure thing, Wes.”

He watched her as she left, making sure no one saw her, then turned his attention back to Quentin Travers.  He was clearly arguing with the two men.  To his surprise, Quentin left the two men and walked toward Wesley.  “Wesley, we have a problem.  Our sorcerer is missing.  We wanted him to keep Buffy from leaving her home, so we could stop the wedding.  I sent a team to check on him and to see that Buffy has not been harmed.”

“What went wrong?”

“He wasn’t there.  We can’t find him.”

“What do you think I can do?”

“We will need Mr. Giles’ help if we’re to find him.”

“You won’t find Mr. Giles that easy.  He won’t be willing to return to England.”

“This isn’t about Mr. Giles anymore.  We have bigger problems now, and I need his help.  Even if we could find the sorcerer on our own, we would not be able to stop him without help.”

“I can get a message to Mr. Giles, but I need more information.  Who is this sorcerer that you lost?”

“Nicholas Byrd.”

A look of terror passed across Wesley’s face.  “Why would you use someone as unstable as Nicholas?”

“Unstable?  He’s not unstable.”

“Really?  You think so?  What do you know of him?”

“I’ve read his files.  All I need to know is there.”

Wesley couldn’t believe what he was hearing.  He needed to make Travers understand what they were really dealing with.  “Mr. Travers, I know a great deal about Nicholas Byrd, and none of it is good.  I knew him when I lived in England.  He was ambitious, to say the least.  His father, grandfather, and great-grandfather were all watchers.  He dreamed of being a watcher like them.  He applied several times and was denied.”

Travers was unimpressed.  “You’ve told me nothing I don’t already know.”

Wesley continued with his story.  “After being denied the last time, he disappeared for several weeks.  I heard rumors that he was looking for sorcerers to teach him dark magic.  When he finally returned, it seemed that he was ready to move on with his life.  He said he was done living in the past.  He took the research position that was offered to him.

“He seemed normal for a time, behaving the way the Council expected.  Some members of the Council believed he had changed.  They thought nothing was wrong, but some of us knew he was a time bomb that could explode any time.  He was quiet and polite, but sometimes, he would become violent.  Mostly, he would get into fist fights, but sometimes he would use dark magic.  He never killed anyone, but those touched by his magic wished he had.”  When Travers looked like he was going to ask for details, Wesley held up a hand to stop him.  “Please, don’t ask what happened to those men and women.”  Travers nodded.  “After hearing the stories of what he’d done to them, people kept their distance.  No one wanted to become a target for his anger.

“I tried to get closer to him.  Maybe I was crazy.  I thought that if I could learn more about him, I might be able to keep him from hurting more people.  I shared my own experiences with him.  I let him believe that I was unable to convince the council to let me be a Watcher.  I told him I had given up and was happy with research.  He was happy that I wasn’t trying to compete with him.  He became more comfortable talking to me.  We talked about our families, about our fathers.  His father never thought he was good enough to be a Watcher.  Nicholas was trying to prove him wrong.  As long as Nicholas thought he had a friend to talk to he kept his temper under control.  Everything was fine for a while, until the slayer died and Buffy was called.

“When Nicholas learned of a watcher being sent to Buffy, he was furious.  He threatened Merrick.  Merrick wasn’t intimidated.  The threats didn’t trouble him.  He became her Watcher and eventually, died protecting her.  When I heard of his death, I knew that Nicholas had a hand in it.  I couldn’t prove it, but I knew.

“A new watcher had to be sent.  Everyone knew Mr. Giles’ reputation and his shady past.  Some of us took it upon ourselves to talk with members of the Council and recommend him for the job.  He would not be intimidated, and with his knowledge of magic, he would be able to protect Buffy and himself from Nicholas.  This is also why I volunteered to be the one to come and observe during Mr. Giles’ probation.

“When Nicholas found out that Mr. Giles had been sent as Merrick’s replacement, he went out and got himself drunk.  I found him early in the morning, trying to walk home.  I gave him a ride.  We had a long talk while he was drunk.  I learned about the spies he had in California, watching Buffy and Mr. Giles.  Nicholas was waiting for an opportunity.  I believe you gave him one, Mr. Travers.  How did you learn about the wedding today?  I never told anyone about it.”

“We received an anonymous call.  We were told that Buffy had not been training or patrolling for some time and that she was planning to marry her watcher today.”

“Nicholas, I’d bet, or friends of his.  He’s been waiting for this opportunity.  There’s no telling what he’s done.”

“You will help us?  You will give a message to Mr. Giles?”

“Yes.  Come with me.  I’ll contact him from the magic shop.” 

On their way out, Wesley stopped and talked to Willow and Xander.  He briefly told them what he had learned.  “Joyce might need the help of a witch.  Come with us to the Magic Box, take what you think you might need, then you can head over to Buffy’s house.”  They gathered their things and followed Wesley out of the church.

* * * * *

Joyce jumped at the sound of the phone.  “Chill, Joyce.  It’s just the phone.”  Faith told her.  “Do you want me to get it?”

“No, we don’t know who could be calling.”  She hesitantly picked up the phone.  “Hello?”

“Joyce, It’s Wesley.  Have you heard from Mr. Giles?”

“No.  It’s been hours since he left.”

“Is Faith there?”

“She’s been here for a little while.  What’s wrong?  Has something happened?”

“I don’t have time to go into details.  If you hear from Mr. Giles, have him come to the Magic Box, immediately.”

“I will.”

“Now, put Faith on the phone.”

“Hey, Wes.”

“Faith, Willow and Xander are on their way over.  The Council was using a sorcerer to keep Buffy and Joyce from leaving their home.  He is now missing.  You may need Willow’s help.  Help her any way you can.”

“Sure, Wes.”

“Faith?”

“Yea?”

“He is extremely dangerous and violent.  Do whatever you need to do to protect everyone.”

“I understand.  Don’t worry about us.”

* * * * *

Giles walked into the magic shop.  He stopped in his tracks when he saw Quentin Travers sitting at the table with Wesley.  “Travers, I should have known.”

“Take a seat, Rupert.”

“I’d prefer to stand.”  He walked over and gripped the back of the chair across from them.  He leaned toward them.  “What’s this all about?”

“We sent a man to the Summer’s house to place a spell on it to keep Miss Summers locked inside.  The goal was to keep her away from the wedding until we located you.  He was then going to lift the spell.  He was to check in with us periodically.  He never has.  I sent men check on him.  They couldn’t find him.”

Giles couldn’t believe his ears.  He thought he might laugh.  “You are worried about losing a man who didn’t do a spell for you.”  When Travers started to speak, Giles slammed his fist on the table.  “I can tell you why he wasn’t there, why he didn’t do the spell, why your men couldn’t find him.  He took Buffy.  He sent something into her bedroom to find her and take her to him.  I have been out looking for her for hours, while you have been sitting around wondering why your man is missing.” 

Travers blanched.  “My God.  What have I done?”

“Who took Buffy?  Who is he?”

It was Wesley who answered.  “Nicholas Byrd.”

Giles recognized the name instantly.  Nicholas made Ripper look like a saint, and now he had Buffy.  Before Travers could blink, Giles moved around the table and hauled him out of his chair.  “Do you know who he is, what he can do?”

Travers answered weakly.  “Yes.”

“I don’t think you do.  You can’t begin to imagine unless you’ve seen it yourself.  I witnessed one of his tantrums.  Before that day, I never knew men were capable of such evil.  Those men and women will never be the same because of him.  They wish they had died with the others.  If he does anything to hurt Buffy. . . .”  He let the unspoken threat hang in the air before finally letting go of him.

“I will take care of your little problem, but it’s not for you or the council.  I am doing this for Buffy, her family, and friends.  When I give Nicholas to you, I expect you to take him and leave.  You will never again interfere in Buffy’s life or mine.  You have another slayer and watcher to work for you.  You don’t need us.  Is that clear?”

Travers thought about objecting.  The look on Giles face quickly changed his mind.  “Yes, Mr. Giles.”

“If you’ll excuse me, I have to gather supplies and be on my way.”  Travers sat in silence as he watched Wesley help Giles collect the things he might need.

Wesley kept his voice low as he spoke to Giles.  “Buffy is a smart girl.  She won’t do anything to provoke him.”

“I hope you’re right.  She has a bad habit of acting before thinking.”

Wesley put a hand on his shoulder.  “They will be fine.”  He knew his mistake the instant the words left his lips.  They both turned to look at Travers, to see if he had heard.

Travers stared at them.  “They?  To whom are you referring?”

Wesley looked to Giles.  “We can’t keep it a secret forever.”  Giles nodded and resumed gathering his supplies.  “Miss Summers is pregnant.”

Travers shot to his feet.  “Pregnant?  She’ll be defenseless.”

“We are quite aware of that, Mr. Travers.  That is why she hasn’t been training or patrolling.  Faith has taken over all slayer duties.  Miss Summers has been actively helping with research.”

“How could you let this happen?  Who is the father?”  Wesley again looked to Giles for permission.

“I am the father.”  Giles turned to Wesley.  “You might as well tell him the whole story.”  He threw his bag over his shoulder.  “I need to go.  Buffy needs me.”  As he left the Magic Box, he could hear Wesley start the story with the events of Buffy’s eighteenth birthday.

* * * * *

Buffy rose from the table and took her dirty dishes to the sink.  “Would you like me to help with the dishes?”  She asked hesitantly.

Nicholas looked at her.  She thought he might become violent again.  “No, thank you.  Why don’t you go to the living room and relax?  I’ll join you in a little while.”  She nodded and left the room, grateful to be out of his sight.

She sat on the rug in the center of the floor, closed her eyes, and tried to relax.  She needed to think. <How am I going to get out of this one?  I don’t even know if anyone is looking for me.  Don’t be silly, Buffy.> She chided herself. <I know Rupert is looking for me, but what if he can’t find me.  I don’t know what this guy can do.  Let’s see.  What do I know?  He’s strong,  he can do magic, and he’s got major mood swings.  I really need to be careful.>

Her thoughts were interrupted when she felt Nicholas enter the room.  She didn’t open her eyes. <Maybe he’ll think I’m meditating or something.> She slowed her breathing and concentrated on him.  He was walking around the room slowly, and she was sure that he kept his eyes on her.  She could hear every breath he took, every movement he made.  When he stopped directly behind her, her heart felt like it would jump out of her chest, but she kept her breathing even.  He was waiting to see what she would do.

Suddenly, she felt faint and sick to her stomach.  A cold sweat broke out on her face as she pitched forward.  Just as suddenly, he knelt beside her, placing waste basket it in front of her.  She felt his hands pull her hair away from her face as she threw up the contents of her lunch.  When she tried to sit, he picked her up and placed her on the couch.  “Lie still.  I’ll be right back.”  He returned with a wet cloth and a glass of water.  “Sip this to rinse your mouth.”  She did as she was told, while he wiped the sweat from her face.  “Are you all right?”

She shivered.  “I’m cold.”  He took the throw from the back of the couch and laid it over her.  “I don’t know what happened.  I was meditating and suddenly the room felt like it was spinning.  That’s the way things happen with me.  I’m fine one moment, sick the next.  The last time I was sick, I had this fever, and they made me go to the hospital.” <I really hope he believes I’m sick.  I can’t let him know about the baby.>

“You don’t need to explain.  Just rest.  Sleep if you can.  I’ll check on you later.”  He turned out the lights and left her alone on the couch.

As she drifted off to sleep, Buffy wondered what would have happened if she hadn’t thrown up at that moment.  She shuddered at the possibilities.

* * * * *

Giles sighed in exasperation.  He had exhausted all his leads.  It was getting dark and he was no closer to finding Buffy.  As he walked toward his apartment, he noticed someone standing outside his door.  At first he thought it might be Angel, but the figure was too tall.  The man turned around as he heard Giles approach.  “Rupert, there you are.  You’re a difficult man to find.”

“I don’t have time for visitors.  Good night.”  He unlocked his door and pushed it open.  “Come back another time.”

“I know where Nicholas has taken Buffy.”

Giles dropped his bag inside and turned to the other man.  “How could you know anything about this?  You haven’t been a part of the council for a long time.”

“Let me come inside and I’ll tell you what I know.”

Giles was wary.  “Do you need an invitation?”

“No, but you are blocking the way.  I’m not a vampire.  I know that’s what you’re thinking.”  He pushed the door open further and squeezed past Giles.  “After what happened with your mother, I can’t blame you, but that was a long time ago.”

“I know, but seeing you brings back all those memories.”  Giles gave himself a mental shake.  “Make yourself comfortable.  We can’t do anything tonight.  Nicholas’ power is stronger at night.  I don’t want to try anything until morning.”

“Rupert, sit down and try to relax.  I’ll make us some tea.”

Giles tried to relax, but his thoughts kept drifting to memories of his mother. 

He had come home from school when he’d received the call.  His mother was missing, had been for several days.  His father had insisted on looking for her himself, refusing to get the authorities involved.  He suspected something otherworldly had happened to her.  When Giles had suggested going to the Watchers’ Council for help, his father told him that the Council would not help.  He left it at that.

He helped his father search for her, night and day.  They were rewarded for their efforts.  They found her wandering the streets near their home one evening just after dark.  It was raining, and she was soaked to the skin.  His father picked her up and made a comment on how cold she was.  They took her home and that was when he made his mistake.  He said, “Come inside quickly before you both catch cold.” 

That was the invitation she had needed.  His father carried her inside and laid her on the couch.  She looked up at him and smiled.  “I’ve missed you, Edward.”  She leaned toward his neck and bit him.

“No!”  Rupert screamed as he saw the blood on his father’s neck.  He grabbed a stake from his jacket pocket and hesitated only a second before staking his mother.

It felt like it had happened yesterday.  His emotions threatened to overwhelm him.  A voice brought him back to the present.  “Rupert?”

He looked up and saw the cup being offered to him.  “I’m sorry.  I was just remembering the day that I had to kill Mother.”

“She was already dead.  You killed a demon.  You must remember that.”

He nodded and took a sip of tea.  “So, Father, tell me how you know of Nicholas and Buffy.”

Edward Giles sat and sipped at his tea.  “I have been investigating Nicholas for several years, trying to find evidence to prove what he’s done.  With all he’s done, there has never been any real evidence against him.”

“Why do you care about Nicholas?”

“He killed someone I loved.  I was seeing a wonderful woman, and it was becoming serious.  There was only one problem.  Nicholas had also set his sights on her.  She made it clear that she wanted nothing to do with him.  Apparently he decided that if he couldn’t have her no one would.  I’ll spare you the details.  When the Council refused to listen to my accusations, I was fired.  Since that day I have done everything in my power to prove that he killed her.

“I discovered that he has a network of spies.  He sent them to watch Buffy.  Some are human, but most are not.  One of them was responsible for killing Merrick.  I was unable to find any evidence linking the murder back to Nicholas.  When you were sent to replace him, I prayed that you would not suffer the same fate.

“A month later, I was living in the states.  It took time, but I soon learned where all of his spies lived.  I watched and waited patiently.  I learned of your wedding plans the same time they did.  Unfortunately, I learned of his plans too late to stop Nicholas from taking Buffy.  This afternoon I found the body of one of his spies.  On a hunch I drove to his house and waited.  After two hours, I saw a glimpse of Nicholas as he walked past a window.  I left and came to find you.  Together we should be able to free Buffy.”

* * * * *

Rupert and his father spent the rest of the night planning their attack.  They knew they would only get one chance at this.  It had to be done properly.  “I’ve called Willow and Wesley.  They are meeting us there.  Nicholas will have barriers in place.  We will need their help to bring them down.  Once the barriers are removed, they will concentrate on getting Buffy out of the house.  After she is safe, we will perform the binding spell.”  Rupert looked to his father for confirmation.

“Won’t Buffy be able to escape on her own once the barrier is removed?” Edward replied.

“Buffy is not in a position to fight.”  He sighed as he removed his glasses to clean them.  “Buffy is pregnant, and it has not been an easy pregnancy.  She is frequently sick.”

“She’s pregnant?”

“Yes.  Father, I know you won’t approve, but I love her.  There were unusual circumstances surrounding the conception.  We were forced to admit our feelings for one another.”

“Rupert, you don’t need to explain anything to me.  I loved a slayer, once.  I know what it’s like.  If you truly love each other, don’t let anything stand in your way.”

“You loved a slayer?”  His father nodded.  “Did she love you in return?”

“She did.”

“What happened?”

“I married her.  Although we kept it a secret from the Council.”

“I never knew.  When did this happen?  Was this before you met Mother?”

“Rupert, she was your mother.”  Rupert just stared at him in disbelief.  “She was eighteen when I became her watcher.  Her previous watcher had been killed.  I fell in love with her the moment I first laid eyes on her.  Soon, I learned that she felt the same for me.  There was a connection we couldn’t explain.  We became closer during the following months and secretly married.  Less than a month later she died, and much like Buffy, she was revived.  The Council called a new slayer.  I never told them that she was still alive.  I refused to be a watcher again.  I remained employed by the Council, but I would never again be a watcher.

“I kept your mother hidden from them.  When she became pregnant, I had to think of a story to tell them.  I told the Council that you had been left on my doorstep with a note telling me that I was your father and to take good care of you.  I let them believe that I didn’t know who the mother was, let them believe that I’d had so many women that I couldn’t know.  In truth, your mother was the only one.  So, you see.  I understand completely.”

He couldn’t believe it.  He had always thought it odd that his mother and one of the slayers would have the same name.  Now he understood why.  He looked at his watch.  “It’s time to go.”

His father laid a hand on his shoulder.  “We’ll save her.  You must believe that.”

He could only nod.

* * * * *

Nicholas woke Buffy.  She was still on the couch.  She looked at her watch.  It was 11:15.  “Did I sleep here all night?”

“I didn’t want to disturb you.  You were sleeping so well.  How are you feeling?”

“Better,” she said as she sat up.

“Why don’t you freshen up while I make you some tea?  Maybe you can try to eat something.”

She locked the bathroom door behind her and took a deep breath. <At least he didn’t try anything while I was asleep.  I hope.>  She splashed some water on her face. <I’ve been in worse situations than this.  I can handle one guy.>

After cleaning herself up a bit, Buffy walked back to the living room and sat on the couch.  Nicholas had some tea and toast ready for her.  He watched her as she ate.  "This is good.  Thanks."  She sipped at her tea.  "This tastes different."

"I added some fresh mint.  It will help settle your stomach.  If you feel better, we could try some training exercises."

She didn't see a way out of this.  <I don't want to make him suspect anything.>  "If we start slow and stop if I get dizzy again."

"There's a training area in the basement.  I'll change my clothes and meet you down there."

She finished her tea and headed to the basement.  She stretched before sitting on the mat to focus her thoughts.  She took a deep breath and tried not to think about Nicholas.  If she pretended, she could almost believe she was training with Rupert. 

Like the day before, she knew when Nicholas entered the room.  She could feel it.  He brought a chill to the air.  She felt his eyes on her and she had to fight the urge to vomit.

He walked up to stand behind her.  She rose slightly and spun, extending one leg, knocking him off his feet.  He landed flat on his back.  "You shouldn't sneak up on a girl like that."  Buffy said as she offered him a hand to help him up.

"I didn't mean to startle you."  He smiled at her.  "Before we start the training exercises, there is something we need to do.  Just sit down and relax.  This won't take long."

"What are we going to do?"

"We need to get rid of the love spell that Mr. Giles put on you."

"There is no love spell."

"That's what he wants you to believe.  You'll understand later, after the bond is broken."

Buffy had heard that term before.  She remembered Rupert and Wesley talking to her about the bond between watchers and their slayers.  <Nicholas must be trying to break my bond with Rupert.  I thought that dying was the only way to break the bond.>  Sudden revelation came to her.  <He's going to use my bond with Rupert to try to kill him.>  She tried not to panic.  "How will you do that?  Break the spell.  Will I have to do anything?"

"No, just relax.  It won't hurt you.  I promise."  He took her arm and sat her down on the mat.  "I'll be right back I need to get something."

She couldn't think of a way to stop him.  Her only hope was that Rupert would feel what was happening and be able to stop it somehow.  She was lost in thought when Nicholas came back.  As he sat down across from her, she saw that he held something in his hand.  He inched closer to her until their knees were touching.  At the contact, Buffy felt a coldness wash over her.  For a moment, she thought she could feel Rupert, but the feeling was gone so suddenly that she thought she might have imagined it.

* * * * *

Outside, Rupert and Edward had arrived in the forest to the north of the house.  While waiting for Willow and Wesley to arrive, they began to prepare the area for the spell casting.  Edward turned to his son.  "Can you feel her?  Is she still in the house?"

"She's there.  I can feel her."

"Can you sense anything?"

Rupert concentrated for a moment.  "She's frightened.  She--"  Suddenly, a chill overcame him, and he could feel her panic.  The sensation left abruptly.  "I can't feel her."  When he realized what he did feel, he fell to his knees.  "I can feel Nicholas.  He's trying to use the bond against me."

* * * * *

Buffy had to try to stop Nicholas.  <I have to try something.  I can't just let him kill Rupert.>  She reached out with her mind, trying to feel Rupert.  After some effort she felt him.  She also felt Nicholas.  Feeling that Rupert was getting weaker, she pushed herself between them, trying to force them apart.  At first she didn't think it would work, then she felt Rupert get stronger, felt him fighting back.  Before she knew it, they were both gone, and she realized she was lying on her back.  She sat up and saw that Nicholas was already standing.  If he realized she'd had anything to with stopping him, he would be irate.  He would take it as a betrayal.

"Are you all right?" Nicholas asked.  "I can't believe he pulled you in and used you against me like that."

<So, that's how he's going to play it.  He's trying to blame it all on Rupert.>  She knew he was trying to sew seeds of doubt, but he couldn't know that it would never work.  He could never understand the kind of love that she shared with Rupert.  He just wasn't capable of loving someone that way.  "I'm fine.”

* * * * *

Edward laid a hand on his son’s shoulder.  “You have to fight it.  Push him out of your mind.”  He watched as Rupert struggled.  For a short time, he thought all was lost.  He tried to think of how he could help.

“Buffy.”  Rupert whispered. 

Edward caught Rupert as he fell forward.  “What happened?”

“Buffy saved me.  She forced herself between us and broke his hold on me.”  He stood.  “We have to get her out of there.”

“We will.” 

They both turned when they heard footsteps behind them.  Willow and Wesley had arrived.

* * * * *

Rupert looked over at his father before beginning the spell that they hoped would break through the veil of protection that surrounded the house where Buffy was being held.  He understood his father better and their relationship had improved over the last twenty-four hours, but he still wasn’t sure that he fully trusted him.  Willow he trusted with his life, and he was beginning to trust Wesley almost as much.  Rupert had to trust him, Buffy’s life and the life of their child depended on the four of them being successful in casting this spell.

It had taken the better part of the previous afternoon to find the components of and write the spell that they would be casting at noon, when Nicholas’ power would be at it’s weakest.  At dawn, Willow had placed charged quartz crystals around the house forming a pentagram with the house in the center of the symbol.  This had been the first step.  The crystals would increase in power as the sun rose and charged them even more with its rays of white light. They would be drawing on this power to create a second barrier on top of Nicholas’ which would dissolve the first barrier enabling Wesley and Willow to rescue Buffy while Rupert and Edward confronted the rogue Watcher.

Rupert looked again to be sure that everything was ready.  Since they couldn’t stand in the open around the house, they formed their circle to the north 100 yards from the door, where they would enter once the barrier had been broken.  Here, they would be hidden by the trees and underbrush of the forest that surrounded the house.  If they were lucky, they would not be observed by those in the house.  He nodded to each and them all in turn nodded back indicating that they were indeed readies to cast the complicated spell.  Everything was ready, including the large table in the center which held the censor, a rather large quartz crystal with a sharp natural terminal point, a bottle holding dragons blood ink, a piece of parchment paper, a quill and each of the ingredients that would be needed by the four that would be casting the spell. It was at the center where the censor stood where they would be focusing their energies.  They had set up the circle with Rupert in the north facing his father in the south and Willow was in the east, facing Wesley in the west.

Willow took a deep breath and began.  She took a dagger, which she pointed toward the ground, walking slowly in a clockwise circle.

“Goddess of Air, I call on thee to consecrate this circle,” she started as she walked toward Edward, walking a foot behind him, she spoke again.  “Goddess of Fire, I call on thee to empower this circle.” She then continued toward Wesley and said, “Goddess of Water, I call on thee to protect this circle.  As she walked behind Rupert she spoke a fourth time, “Goddess of Earth, I call on thee to bless this circle.”  When she completed the circle and returned to her place, the air where she had made her passage glowed.  The sacred circle had been cast.

Willow laid down the dagger and reached for the red candle at her feet, holding it before her she began.  “Goddess of Air, I summon thee to bless our efforts this day and ask that you help us to free those held against their will.”  She then lit the red candle and placed the taper in the holder a foot in front of her.

Edward then took his white candle and began.  “Goddess of Fire, I summon thee to bless our efforts this day and ask that you help us to free those held against their will.”  Once he finished he lit his taper and placed it in the holder in front of him.

Wesley followed, “Goddess of Water, I summon thee to bless our efforts this day and ask that you help us to free those held against their will.”  He then lit his gray candle, also placing it in the holder before him.

“Goddess of the Earth, I summon thee to bless our efforts this day and ask for your help in freeing the woman I love and the child that she carries,” Rupert added before he lit his black candle.

* * * * *

Buffy could feel Rupert again.  It wasn't a strong connection, but she knew he was there.  He was trying to help her.  She had stopped Nicholas in time.  He hadn't been able to use the bond against them.  She could only hope that Nicholas wouldn't try again.  She watched him as he paced around the room, mumbling things to himself.  He occasionally stopped and looked at her.  She saw the anger and hatred in his eyes.  Once, he had raised his hand, causing her to flinch.  He lowered his hand when he saw the scared look in her eyes.  "I'm sorry.  I've scared you.  I wasn't going to hit you.  I wouldn't do that to you."  He walked away from her again.  "I would never hurt my slayer.  I have to protect you from them.  They've hurt you.  I have to stop them from hurting you.  They want to take you away.  If they would just leave, things would be better and I wouldn't have to hurt them."  He turned back to her again.  "They were supposed to leave.  They were supposed to take him back to England.  They didn't do that.  They have to go away.  They can't find us."

Buffy knew she had to stall.  She could feel that Rupert was doing something to help her.  She could feel others trying to help her, and the bond with Rupert was getting stronger.  She needed to distract Nicholas.  "I could talk to them and explain things for you."

It didn't have the effect she had expected.  Nicholas had been pacing on the other side of the room once again.  Suddenly he was right in front of her.  He grabbed her arms.  "I told you before.  You're not allowed to leave this house.  I won't let you leave while they are still a threat."

"That's not what I meant.  If you have a telephone, I could talk to them that way.  I could tell them that I'm safe, that you haven't hurt me.  I could convince them to leave."  His grip on her arms relaxed a little.  "Please.  You don't need to hurt them."

"I don't have a telephone."

"Okay.  I didn't know."  He let go of her arms and started pacing again.  She watched him for a while.  <Come on, Rupert.  I don't know what you're doing, but you'd better hurry.  I can't do this alone.  I can't fight him by myself.> 

* * * * *

Willow, Wesley, Edward and Rupert waited as the power in the circle increased with the calling of the four corners.  Each felt the wind from their direction empowering the circle that Willow had cast.  Willow waited for the wind to die down before she continued.

Slowly, Willow walked to the table in the center.  Once there she took the incense charcoal and lit it before placing it in the censor.  As she waited for the charcoal to finish igniting, she focused her thoughts on freeing Buffy.  While waiting for the charcoal, she took a piece of sandalwood and the quill, which she dipped into the dragons blood ink.  On the sandalwood chip she wrote free on one side and Buffy on the other, the entire time concentrating on freeing Buffy from Nicholas.  Once the charcoal was glowing, she placed the chip of sandalwood on it and it began to smolder, emitting a wonderful earthy smell and charging the air with protection and releasing her wish.  As she made her way back to her point, she continued to concentrate on freeing Buffy, thereby adding her power to the spell.  In her hand she held an emerald into which she focused her will.

Once Willow was back on her eastern point, Edward cautiously made his way to the table.  Once there he stopped and concentrated on breaking through the barrier of evil that surrounded the house where Buffy was being held.  When his thoughts were totally on exorcing the evil aura surrounding the house, he placed frankincense on the charcoal and the fragrance of it is added to the scent of the sandalwood, releasing powerful vibrations to help drive out the evil in the clearing.  Edward envisioned the evil barrier weakening, destroyed by the light and love that they were bringing into the darkness Nicholas had brought.  Once his vision was firmly in his mind, he slowly walked back to his place, in his hand a garnet into which he focused his will.

Wesley then carefully walked to table, concentrating on protection for the group not only while they cast the spell but also for rescuing Buffy from Nicholas.  Breaking through the barrier he had cast was only half of the problem.  Wesley stood at the table before the censor, holding his vision of protection for all of them in his mind as he added myrrh to the censor, strengthening the spell’s protection and exorcism powers.  As the smoke rose, he continued to concentrate on protection for the small group.  Before he left the table, he picked up a white beryl to focus his will into.

* * * * *

Buffy knew they were trying to free her.  She felt Rupert’s presence as well as three others.  Two of them were familiar.  She watched Nicholas, hoping he couldn't tell what they were doing.  With each passing moment she felt stronger, felt more protected.  She felt the bond to Rupert more strongly than she ever had before. 

She looked at Nicholas.  He was standing still with his back to her.  Feeling more confident and knowing this could be her only chance, she crept toward him.  When she reached him, he turned to face her.  She felt the bond to the others disappear and started to fall.  Nicholas caught her before her head hit the floor.

* * * * *

Rupert slowly walked to the table after Wesley had returned to his place.  He concentrated on breaking through the barrier and rescuing Buffy.  As he formed this vision his mind, his love for Buffy entered and helped to strengthen his vision.  He was just picking up a large thistle head when Quentin Travers and three other Watchers entered the clearing, crossing the circle and breaking the spell.

Everyone in the circle was stunned for a moment, the energy that they had been building dissipating quickly, taking their energy with it.  Once they had recovered they all looked at Travers.

“What the hell do you think you are doing?” Rupert glared at Quentin.  "You broke the circle.  We were almost finished with the spell, you pillock!”

“I thought Buffy might need medical attention.  I brought some medical supplies.  You may also need help with Nicholas.  We don't know what he'll be like when he comes out of there.  We brought weapons with us.  We want to help.” Travers started explaining his actions.

“We will start again, but you and your men stay away from the circle.  Take your weapons and guard the clearing,” Rupert told Travers, holding his anger in check.   "Do not enter the circle for any reason.  I won't be responsible for my actions if you break the spell again."  Rupert waited to make sure his orders were followed.  Willow, Wesley, and Edward had reset the items for the spell and had gone back to their places in the circle.  Rupert took a few deep breaths to calm himself  and then nodded to Willow to again begin the spell.

* * * * *

"Are you all right?  What happened?"  Nicholas looked genuinely concerned for her.

Buffy groaned and stood up.  He still held an arm around her.  “You stopped pacing, and I thought something was wrong.  You were standing so still.  When you turned around it scared me.  I’ll be fine.” She didn’t know what had happened.  There were a million questions running through her head.  <What happened out there?  Did they fail?  Are they dead?  Did Nicholas do something? >

“Stay here.  I have to take care of something upstairs.”  He let go of her.

“No.  Don’t leave me alone.  Something’s going on.  What happened earlier, with the magic stuff.  I know someone was trying to hurt us.  I can’t defend against that.  I don’t want you to leave me.”  She hoped that he would believe her.

“I won’t be gone long.”  He placed his hand on her shoulder to reassure her.  “You’ll be safe.”

“I’m scared.  Please don’t leave me alone.”

He took her hand in his.  “Okay, but be quiet.  I need to concentrate.”  He led her up the stairs. 

She didn’t know what he was going to do, but she had to be close to him.  She had to wait for an opportunity.  If something had happened to the others, she was on her own.  She couldn’t wait for someone to help her.  She concentrated on watching Nicholas, waiting for an opening.  When she had convinced herself that she would never get an opening, she felt the presence of the others return.  She almost gasped when she felt Rupert.  His presence was even stronger than before.  She felt like he would protect her from anything.  She felt invincible.  She knew she wouldn’t need Nicholas to give her an opening.

He was standing at the back window, staring out at the forest.  “They’re out there.”

“I know.”  He spun around to face her.  She smiled at the look of shock on his face.  “Do you really think I’m stupid?  I know there is no love spell.  I know I have a bond with Rupert.  Slayers and their watchers have a bond.  You wanted that, but the only way to break the bond is if the watcher or slayer dies.  You tried to kill him, but you didn’t count on him fighting back.  You didn’t count on him bringing friends.”

“I can stop them.”

“You probably can, but can you stop them and still fight me?  I’m betting you can’t do both.”

* * * * *

Again, as each preformed their parts of the complicated ritual, the power again grew.  Finally, they were again at the point in the spell where Rupert walked to the table to perform his part.  He concentrated on Buffy and breaking through the barrier as he took the large thistle head and placed it on the charcoal.  As the fresh herb began to smolder, he picked up a small onyx and focused his will and wishes into the stone readying himself for the climax of the spell.  Once he had poured his power into the onyx, he nodded to Willow, Edward and Wesley who joined him at the table, each holding the stones in their hands.  Then as one, they dropped them into the censor.  Once the stones touched the hot metal, they burst, releasing the power of each person and casting the spell. 

A hot wind rushed from the circle toward the house, the barrier glowed first black, then turning red hot, then slowly glowing white, signifying that it was now broken. 

“Quentin, you and your men go with Wesley and Willow.  Help them find and rescue Buffy.  My Father and I will take care of Nicholas.” With that, they all walked toward the house.

As the group approached the house, Nicholas rushed out.  He ignored them and headed straight for Rupert.  “Ripper, it’s been a long time.”

“Not long enough, Nicholas.”

“But it was such fun last time.”

“Maybe for you.  I was left to clean up your mess.  I’ll never understand how you could do those things.”

“I thought it would make for a more interesting party.  I thought Ripper would have enjoyed it.”

“You crashed my party, used your spells on my guests for your amusement, and threw a tantrum when I put a stop to it.  How could anyone enjoy that?”

“I know what kinds of parties you and Ethan used to have.  You can’t tell me that what I did was all that different.”

“Ethan and I had the consent of all involved.  You never cared about anything except your own pleasure.  You never cared who you hurt in the process.” 

* * * * *

Wesley and Willow found Buffy lying on the floor close to the back door of the house.  "Buffy, are you okay?"  Willow asked.

"I'll be fine."

As they helped her to her feet, Quentin and his men entered the room.  "Is she all right?"  Quentin asked.

Wesley looked at him.  "I think so."  He looked at Buffy.  "What happened?"

"I was trying to stall.  I knew you guys were doing something out there.  I felt it, felt the protection you gave me.  I just kept Nicholas busy for a while, so you could bring down the barrier.  He put up a good fight, but I handled it.  When the barrier came down, he pushed me out of the way and ran out.  I have to go after him.  He's going to kill Rupert."

Wesley held her back.  "It's too dangerous."

"But, I have to help him."

"He has help.”  Willow said.

“Help?  Who’s helping him?”

“His father is here.  They are going to bind Nicholas’ magick.”

Buffy couldn’t believe it.  “His father?”

Quentin walked over to join them.  “Miss Summers, we can discuss this later.  You need to leave.  We don’t know what we’re dealing with here.  With all the magick and spell casting, anything could happen.  You have to get to safety.” 

“Why would I go anywhere with you?  This is all your fault!”

Willow stepped between them.  “Not entirely.  Buffy, it’s a long story.  Can we just go?  Your mom is real worried.  We can talk after we take you home.”  Buffy looked toward the back of the house.  “Giles will be okay.  They know how to handle Nicholas.”

Reluctantly, Buffy let them lead her out of the house and into Wesley’s car.  Quentin and his men were staying to take Nicholas from Rupert and Edward after they bound his magick. 

As the car pulled away from the house, a tear slipped from her eye.  “I love you, Rupert,” she whispered.  “Please come home soon.”

* * * * *

Edward watched as Rupert and Nicholas traded insults.  He started preparing himself to cast the series of spells, which would end with Nicholas being bound and his magick held from him.  Standing about twenty feet from the two sorcerers, Edward concentrated on the first of the spells that he and his son had put together to overcome Nicholas. He said a silent prayer as he started the first spell, silently casting it, feeling that Rupert was aware that he had started.

Edward felt the second part of the spell being cast and added his part.  He could sense the power, which was being generated and knew that with the next spell Nicholas would be able to tell that something was happening.  He only hoped that they would be able to cast the fourth and final part before he realized what was happening.

Rupert easily cast Nicholas’ second volley aside and cast the third part of the spell, hiding it in a silencing hex.  He knew that Nicholas would break the hex, but he hoped that he would be able to cast the fourth part of the series before he broke it and realized that he was bound, unable to reach his magick.  Immediately after he cast the silencing hex, Rupert cast the fourth before the hex had even reached Nicholas.

Nicholas felt the power building around him and recognized a silencing hex, which he quickly broke, but another spell hit him immediately as he broke the hex.  He reached for his magick to cast a return spell and felt a barrier holding him from his magick

Edward watched as all the spells came together and bound Nicholas.  He feared for his son if anything went wrong.  He knew what Nicholas was capable of and prepared to defend his son if need be.

Nicholas couldn’t cast.  He looked in horror as he realized what Rupert had done to him.  His magick was gone.  He was enraged and ran toward the man who had stolen his Slayer and now had stolen his magick.

Rupert was ready and sidestepped the attack.  This angered Nicholas even more.  “Do you even remember how to fight without magick?” Rupert taunted him.

“I know enough to beat you.”  He rushed toward Rupert and missed.

“Really, you seem to be having a bit of trouble.  Let me show you how it’s done.”  Rupert lunged at Nicholas, grabbed his arm and twisted it around behind his back.  Before Nicholas could register what happened, Rupert had his free arm securely around his neck. 

Nicholas struggled to free himself.  “What are you going to do now, Ripper?  I know you won’t kill me.  You don’t have it in you.”

“You’d like it if I killed you.  That would be the easy way out.  What we’re going to do is far worse.  You’ll wish we’d killed you.”

“We?  What are you talking about?”

Edward stepped out from his hiding place in the forest.   “Hello, Nicholas.”

Nicholas gritted his teeth as he spoke.  “Edward.  I should have known.”

Rupert spoke to his father.  “Do you have it?”  Edward nodded.

Nicholas panicked, struggling harder to get away.  “I wouldn’t do that if I were you,” Rupert said.  “You wouldn’t want the needle to break off in your arm.  Hold still and it will be over soon.”  Nicholas felt the cool cotton swab followed by the prick of the needle.  “That wasn’t difficult.”

“You can’t do this to me.”  Nicholas said before he went limp in Rupert’s arms.

Quentin’s men came and carried him away, while he talked to Edward and Rupert.  “Thank you for your help.  Both of you.”  He turned to Edward.  “I trust you will come back with us to help with Nicholas.”

“I will join you in a few days.  I have a wedding to attend first.”

* * * * *

“Edward, thank you again.  Buffy might not be here if you hadn’t helped.”

“Joyce, you’ve thanked me enough.”  Edward looked over at Rupert.  “Stop pacing.  You’re going to wear a hole in the floor.”

Rupert stopped long enough to glare at him.  “Is she ever going to be ready?”  He looked at the door to the back room of the Magic Box.

Joyce smiled.  “I’ll go check on her.”

* * * * *

Buffy was trying to sit still as Cordelia was applying her makeup.  “Buffy, if you don’t sit still, you’re going to look like a clown.”

Willow saw Joyce come in.  “Cordelia’s just finishing her makeup.  Then we’re ready.”

“Good, I’ll let them know.  I’ll be back.”  She left the girls and went out to tell Rupert.

* * * * *

Buffy heard the guitar music start when they opened the door.  It was a classical piece that she never could remember the name of.  She glanced at the main room of the Magic Box.  She saw Xander, Oz, Edward, Wesley and the priest, but she couldn’t see Rupert.  <I know he’s there somewhere, but where is he.>

As if reading her thoughts, Joyce whispered to her, “Don’t worry.  He’s there.”

Buffy and her mom watched as Anya, Cordelia and Willow took turns walking out into the main room.  “This is it.  Are you ready?”

Buffy gave her mom a quick hug.  “As ready as I’ll ever be.” 

Since her dad couldn’t be there, her mom walked her out to the waiting groom.  As they entered the room, the song changed, the small group of people moved aside to allow her to finally see the groom.  Her breath caught in her throat when she realized he was playing the music on his guitar.  When he began to sing to her, she felt the tears begin to fall.

I give her all my love
That's all I do
And if you saw my love
You'd love her too
I love her

She gives me everything
And tenderly
The kiss my lover brings
She brings to me
And I love her

A love like ours
Could never die
As long as I
Have you near me

Bright are the stars that shine
Dark is the sky
I know this love of mine
Will never die
And I love her

Bright are the stars that shine
Dark is the sky
I know this love of mine
Will never die
And I love her

Rupert finished the song, put down his guitar, and joined her.  The rest of the ceremony was a blur until she heard the minister say, “You may now kiss the bride.”  She reached up and put her arms around Rupert’s neck as he leaned down and kissed her.  They were breathless when they parted and turned to look at their family and friends.

“I present to you Mr. and Mrs. Rupert Giles.”

* * * * * *
The End
* * * * * *