Battle of Wills

Male voices sounded from the hallway, followed by Buffy’s mom assuring someone that, yes, Buffy was safe and in the dining room. Moments later, the door burst open to reveal a tired, dishevelled, and very worried watcher.

“Giles!” Buffy flew across the room and into her Watcher’s arms. “I was so worried about you! Are you all right? Where were you?” she asked, squeezing him tightly as if to assure herself of her pseudo-father’s presence.

Giles flinched, his still-healing ribs protesting the harsh treatment. “I’m fine, Buffy. Though I dare say I would be better with a slightly less enthusiastic greeting.” He smiled gently at her to take the sting out of his words. Buffy quickly released him and apologised sheepishly for hurting him. As the adrenaline and worry that had driven him dissipated, exhaustion once again took hold and Giles sagged visibly, his eyes moistening with relief as he looked down upon his alive and healthy Slayer.

“Well, well. The itinerant Watcher returns. Told you he’d be fine, pet. Must say, you’re looking a little worse for wear there, Rupes. Run into a band of deadly girl scouts armed with cookies?”

Giles looked up, noticing for the first time the room’s other occupants. Irritation followed by anger flicked across his face as he fixed his gaze on the vampire. “What is he doing here?” As his brain registered the fact that the smirking vampire was not only unrestrained in any way but was also standing on unexpectedly sound legs, he snapped, “And how the hell is he suddenly able to walk?”

“Problem, old boy?” Ethan entered the room, carefully setting down the tray he’d carried in before stepping up behind the obviously angry watcher.

“Yes, there’s a problem. He… it,” he quickly corrected himself, gesturing wildly toward the grinning blonde, “is the problem.”

A shocked gasp escaped the two girls as Ethan entered and Spike frowned, wondering what about the slight brunette had caused his girl’s concern. Ignoring the irate watcher, he focused his attention on the newcomer, a soft warning growl sounding in instinctive response to his Slayer’s distress.

As her Watcher’s words registered, Buffy frowned, her chin tilting defiantly as she prepared to defend her mate. “Giles! Spike is my mate, which was your idea if you remember correctly, so enough with the name calling and the whole cranky watcher routine.”

‘Need I remind you that that creature is an evil cold-blooded killer?” Giles shot back.

Buffy’s eyes flicked from the angry librarian to the chaos mage behind him. “What, like him?” she asked, one eyebrow arching in a fair imitation of her vampire mate.

The slayer and watcher faced off, their mutual concern over each other’s welfare forgotten in the face of their current battle of wills.

“I thought everyone could use some tea,” Joyce suggested in an attempt to break the tension in the room, gesturing towards the tray Ethan had kindly carried in for her. “It’s been a long couple of days, and we are all very tired.”