Summary: Giles finally gets what's long overdue.
Spoilers: Um, kind of everything, kind of nothing, if that makes any sense.
Disclaimer: These characters aren't mine, no matter how much I wish they
were. <sigh > They belong to Joss Whedon and the WB I have to live
with borrowing them for my stories.
Rating: This is suitable for all. So all, why don't you read it? :)
by: Amy
******
London, England 1998
Meeting of The Watcher's Council
Topic: Rupert Giles; Watcher of Buffy Summers, Slayer
"All right, shall we begin?" Grace Wilson's voice came out strong over the large room, with only a slight echo.
"We were called here to discuss a matter of great importance. Mr. Giles, the Watcher of the current Slayer has been the subject of a great deal of detrimental and disrespectful remarks recently, and the board wishes to confront it." She flipped through a leather bound book to a passage near the middle and indicated to it.
"First of all, I would like to say that I myself find Mr. Giles to have been one of the greatest Watchers of our times. I believe him to be ranking in with Sir Lawrence of the 1400s and perhaps Mr. Henrey." Random murmurs could be heard throughout the auditorium, and a few gasps. Mrs. Wilson's face took on a stern look.
"I do. That might sound extreme, but what other Watchers have managed to accomplish as much with the same Slayer in such little time? What other Watcher has managed to keep his Slayer alive for so long? Yes, it is true that his methods have been somewhat..." She faltered for a moment before her voice regained it's strength and she continued. "Unusual. Yes, he has allowed mere civilians to help alongside the Slayer with her conquering of evil. But, the more the board thinks about it, the more we understand that none of this would have been possible without the support of such a loyal group." The nods of her other council members, Henry Morris, Frank Hickok, Sarah Melbourne, Phoebe Eddison and and Geoffrey Radcliff urged her to go on.
"As for the young Watcher he looks after, we do frown upon Mr. Giles so carefully keeping her destiny from her so far, but that is also something we can understand. Mr. Giles has proven to be a very skillful and efficient expert in this field, and I, along with the rest of the Council, will not stand for any questioning of his technique. The young Watcher actually may be safer right now not knowing. Mr. Giles, who has spent two and a half years with her, is most likely the one to know when it's appropriate to tell Ms. Rosenberg of the fate that awaits her."
Henry Morris spoke up. "Mr. Giles has trained a Slayer who has successfully defeated the Master, the Judge, Taraka assassins, Acathla, and Angelus, who was reputed to be one of the most vicious vampires on this Earth. And, as I'm sure many of you know, this Slayer had to kill the ensouled version of him. Nothing but pure integrity and a selfless job could have prepared her for that. Mr. Giles somehow gave her those things. This is, of course, not mentioning any of the other numerous creatures that surround the Hellmouth." He looked at Mrs. Wilson.
"Now, yesterday we received his most recent update of events. This is when we decided to confront the matter at hand. I've heard that not only does Mr. Giles have no control over his Slayer, but also that the job he does could have been performed by a..." She looked at her book. "Monkey, was it? Well, I won't mention the fact that a Watcher should have more to do that gossip like a common civilian, but I will say that that is simply disrespectful of all that Mr. Giles had accomplished. I wonder, do any of you quite realize that without his teaching and training of that girl, none of us would be on this Earth right now? That we would either have been killed by armies of vampires, or sucked into Hell and suffering a torment worse than death?" She looked pointedly at a few of the Watchers who, under her hard gaze, dropped their eyes to their hands.
"Now, another thing that has been brought up, is the question of why Mr. Giles hasn't yet told Miss Rosenberg that she is to be the next Watcher. We have heard a multitude of rumors, everything from him not wanting to take more from her world than has been taken so far yet, to Mr. Giles being in love with her." Her mouth took on a disgusted scowl, and she picked up a thick stack of paper.
"I abhor such nonsense. In the letters that I hold in my hand, I read nothing but a fatherly affection for all of those children and a parental concern. Which is something that he should have. Some of you might think that showing your Slayer, should you acquire one, no love or feelings would be the best thing. It is the opinion of the Council that a Slayer needs such love and emotion. When one has to take on such a responsibility one must have a good teacher, not only for the physical battles, but the emotional ones. When Mr. Giles decides to reveal Miss Rosenberg's fate to her, I do not doubt that she will be ready then, and willing to face what she needs to. He is, right now, training her. She may not realize it yet, but in every word that he speaks to her, everything he teaches her to do, she learns more about being a Watcher. I tell you this now, not because it is your business, but because I want these rumors to stop. Mr. Giles is a very dedicated, loyal man. To his duty, to those children and to us apparently, though I see no reason that we have given him to be."
More murmuring was heard, followed by an awe-filled and somewhat shamed silence. The quiet fell upon the dozens of Watchers gathered as they contemplated the true responsibility that Mr. Giles held. As they contemplated the utter devotion and energy it must take out of him. Suddenly, in the back, a sound was heard. The members of the Council raised their heads one by one to see what it was.
Applause. One ashamed Watcher started, and the rest joined in. The clapping grew furiously loud and shook the auditorium. The Council, only moments ago fierce beings to be reckoned with, smiled in unison. They, too, stood to give applause to a man that was halfway around the world.
*****
Giles wiped his unusually moist eyes with his handkerchief. He replaced his glasses slowly and then reached over to shut of the cassette recording of the Watchers meeting that had been sent to him. Smiling broadly, he started to rewind it only to hit the Stop button when he heard a sweet feminine voice ring out in the library.
"Hi, Giles!" Willow's voice was sunny and happy, the voice of a girl who had nothing but regular high school troubles on her mind. "I just went through that new book that arrived a few days ago, and guess what? The demon you were talking so much about the other day is in it! Cool, huh? I know you said that you would do it, but it's so fascinating..." Giles smiled at her.
"Yes, it is, isn't it? Willow, would you mind terribly if I asked to to help me research more on that particular demon? I've just heard reports that something like it was seen a few hundred miles from here and I can only guess that it's headed--" Willow cut him off.
"Here. Yeah, I had the same thought. I went through this book, but after three pages, there's no more mention of it. But in *this* book...."
As Giles listened to the young Watcher speak, he knew that she was clearly in one of her many elements.
It crossed his mind, not for the first time, how proud she would make him.
The End.