Title: A Slayers Holiday: There and Back Again
Author: Wildecate
Email: Wildecate@hotmail.com
Rating: G - for the moment
Notes: Since you were all so nice the first time round, here we go again.
Pairing: None as yet
Credits: Joss Whedon/JRR Tolkein - ya de ya de ya

"Let me get this straight" Giles, in a characteristic gesture, removed his glasses and cleaned them absent mindedly as he got the facts straight in his head.

Buffy was sitting curled up on a chair, her hands wrapped around a warm cup of coffee and a towel around her shoulders. She had changed into some spare clothes that she had left at Giles' house and was now in navy sweats. Gandalf sat opposite. He had accepted a cup of coffee and a towel as well and he and Buffy sat, steaming gently, in the warmth of Giles' apartment. Giles, awoken from his sleep, paced in between them trying to get his mind around what he was being told.

"A ring you say?" he murmured, searching his memory for any reference of a ring of power. He could not remember anything, certainly not to the power that Gandalf was referring to. It was obvious that he was telling the truth. A quest to destroy this ring which was, at its most basic level, composed of evil. And a Fellowship, a group of people willing to risk their lives to protect the Ringbearer, this Frodo. He glanced at Gandalf who was watching him while he tried to sort the details out in his head. Gandalf gave him a small smile and raised his eyebrows enquiringly. This man, this wizard, had fought a demon, a Balrog which Giles had actually heard of but was only spoken about in myth and legend. He eyed the wizard again.

"You say you fell from the bridge?" Giles picked the story up again from where Gandalf had left it.

"I fell for many miles and so fast that all sight and sound vanished. When I awoke there was a creature, a vampire, upon me and I believe Miss Summers disturbed him for which I am profoundly grateful. In my weakened state I could not have fought him off"

"And, of course, you wish to find a way back to Middle Earth to help your friends continue in their quest." Giles finished the sentence for him and Gandalf nodded.

"I fear the Fellowship as it stands will fail. There are weaknesses, differences which cannot be easily overcome and Sauron will take advantage of these, he will use the ring which Frodo carries to tempt the members of the Fellowship who perhaps are not as resistant to temptation as others. You must understand, Mr Giles, that the fate of Middle Earth hangs upon this quest. Frodo must succeed." His eyes blazed blue for a moment and Giles drew back from him.

Well, I believe we may be able to find a way to send you back, to help you complete your task." Giles turned to Buffy "Contact Willow and Xander, we must try and find a way back for you as soon as possible. We have discovered through experience that time in alternate dimensions often runs faster or slower than ours. We cannot risk you returning too early or too late." Giles turned to his library of books and looked thoughtful for a moment before picking out a large book bound in dark leather and opening it.

"He'll be buried in his research now." Buffy smiled at Gandalf as she picked up the phone "Make yourself comfortable, we'll be here a while."

Gandalf watched Giles as he flicked through the books in the pile next to him and smiled slightly. Here was a band of heroes, as brave as those he had left behind him. Giles, the mentor, the leader, the father figure. He had amazing knowledge, a strong love for the children who shared the room at this time. They had come when called without question, without even considering saying no. His gaze rested on Willow next, a power magic user, a witch despite the fact she was little more than a child. Her sweet smile had immediately touched his heart and her innocence reminded him of the hobbits, unquestionning and simply obeying. She was sitting peacefully in the corner her hands spread out over a book as the pages turned swiftly beneath them, searching for an answer. She walked both in shadow and in light, like another he could mention. And Xander, a mixture of boy and man, his bravery counteracting his jokes, his laughter. He was obviously where the strength of the group lay, the person who kept their spirits up, who held them together. Finally he turned to Buffy who was whittling stakes in the corner and reading a book at the same time. This strong warrior in the body of a young girl. She glanced up and met his gaze and smiled at him. He had already witnessed her strength, her speed. They were valuable allies indeed.

"Oooh Giles" Willow called out and the pages paused beneath her fingers. He moved over to her and glanced at the book before passing the book to Gandalf who nodded quickly to him.

"I think this is it" Giles said and Buffy glanced up from her work as did Xander.

"It's a spell, to open a portal to other dimensions. It has a passage about location which means that we should be able to open the portal to the correct place at the correct time." Giles carried on reading. "It's relatively simple actually. Willow, I'll need your help" The girl nodded eagerly and smiled.

"Can we do the spell now?" Buffy asked "Do we have everything we need?"

"It can be performed now if Gandalf is prepared to return now. It's a simple chant and I'll need some of your blood Gandalf." Giles fought the urge to call him Sir and from the half smile on Gandalf's face, he was aware of that. He held his hand out as Willow pierced his finger with a sharp dagger and collected his blood in a small bronze chalice. She frowned apologetically when the wound refused to stop bleeding and carefully bound it up again. She handed the chalice to Giles who began the chant, holding the chalice up high, pouring out the blood.

The drops never hit the floor but instead paused, shimmering in the air. Giles continued pouring, more confident in his chant now. The portal formed itself, the magic forming a tall doorway in the air, flickering blue at the edges and turning indigo to jet black in the centre.

"Is that it?" Xander asked uncertainly "we can't see through."

"I guess the only way to be sure is to go through it" said Buffy glancing at Gandalf. The old wizard looked, for the first time, a little uncertain but stepped forward before the portal, obviously ready to take the risk.

"Thank you all for aiding me in this time."

"Happy to help" Buffy said smiling "Hope the war and stuff goes OK. Hope you win". He favoured her with a final look and stepped through the portal and vanished.

Giles, Buffy, Willow and Xander looked at the portal uncertainly.

"Isn't it supposed to, like, disappear?" Xander asked after a moment.

Giles looked down at his book and shrugged "It doesn't say anything in here about it"

"Perhaps it'll go away when it realises its not needed anymore" Willow said brightly. The others turned to look at her. "Maybe not"

Buffy walked right around the portal and then stopped in front it. "Buffy, please don't stand quite so close" Giles said, not looking up from his book.

There was silence for a moment.

"Giles? She's gone."




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