Title: Protector
Author: Serendipity
Email: trekchic@usa.net
Distribution: Y'all know me. I say yes. Just ask beforehand so I know.
Disclaimer: the characters belong to Joss Whedon
Rating: PG-13 (language, violence and content)
Author's Notes: Oz doesn't exist...again (I'm SORRY!!!) and uhm..Oh, this is my take on what fourth season would be like for 'Buffy' and for the new series 'Angel'. (meaning, all of the previous seasons are fair game. I haven't seen Grad2 yet, though, so don't worry about that type of spoilage. Angel is in L.A.) Only difference: (big one) the Scooby Gang is still in high school. So, the events of season 3 took place their junior year. Oh, and lastly, for those who have read it and are wondering, this is totally unrelated to one of my other stories, When Stars Collide. :) Feedback is, as always, adored, highly appreciated, very motivational and always responded to.
Dedication: to everyone who's ever wanted to have something dedicated to them but never has, this story is wholeheartedly for you.

Part 3


It was 5:30 and Willow still couldn’t believe how fast the day had gone by. As she packed her spellbooks into a small box along with her candles and incense, she resigned herself to the fact that it wasn’t working. She wasn’t feeling a damn thing. It was as if she had become totally numb to the concept that she was truly leaving Sunnydale for good. By lunchtime, she’d given up mentally poking herself into trying harder to make her few remaining hours ‘special’. Therefore, by the end, it had turned out to be a relatively normal day.

She hadn’t dressed up. She hadn’t been overly chatty or overly withdrawn throughout the morning. During study hall, she hadn’t hounded her friends for extra attention or buried her nose in a book for the hour or passed an unusually large number of notes. She hadn’t even broken down into an emotional heap after the last bell rang signally the end of classes for the day. Essentially, she decided to leave Sunnydale the same way as she’d existed there: as a person true to herself.

< Which still doesn’t make it any easier to say goodbye… > she sighed as she collected her photo album and jewelry case. < At least I have Angel to keep me company in L.A. > The thought brightened her disposition somewhat. She wasn’t really sure how well he was taking the news < Most likely, not to well at all… > She knew, however, that when all was said and done, he would grudgingly accept her help. < Not that he has any choice. > She narrowed her eyes at her reflection < Not that either of us do. >

Surveying her suitcases and boxes packed neatly near the door, Willow realized that she really didn’t have anything left to do but sit and wait for Whistler to pick her up.

Mulling over the facts of her predicament, she still felt as if she was being kept in the dark. The specifics of her duty were still somewhat vague to her, but being a resourceful and intelligent young woman, she’d spent a few hours the night before doing a bit of research over the internet. From the little information she’d gathered, it appeared that a Protector was a person, who could be either male or female (unlike slayers who were predominantly girls), who was chosen to defend the life of another individual. The person the Protector would have to defend tended to have either humanitarian and/or religious ties as well as a pivotal role in history.

Evidently, it was an honor to be chosen for such an admirable job. Although she was still somewhat confused as to who chose her or why they did, Willow couldn’t help but feel a small twinge of pride over her position someplace deep underneath her constant fear. With all the Evil she had seen throughout her life living on the Hellmouth, she was glad that Goodness had a few more people to call upon for back up.

“Willow?”

Startled, she looked up only to see Whistler standing in front of her, hat in hand, smirking slightly, “I knocked a few times but you didn’t respond so I let myself in. Ready to go?”

Swallowing hard, she stood up, “Yeah. Just let me grab my b-,” looking around, she gasped, “Where are my bags?”

He shrugged and headed down the stairs, “In the car. Don’t worry about it. Let’s go.” Picking up her purse, she nodded to no one in particular.

“Okay. Leaving,” she whispered softly before closing the door of her room and following him out, never once turning back.

It had been about two hours since Whistler had left and twenty minutes since Angel had slammed out of the apartment for some private sulking time in the sewers.

Still slightly in a daze, Cordelia Chase sat alone in her cozy dark living room with the shades pulled and a small fire burning. Angel still didn’t suspect that she had, indeed, known more about Whistler’s surprise announcement than she had let on before. < Thank you seventh grade drama camp. > She thought dryly. It was a good thing that he still underestimated her intelligence or else he may have caught on.

In his awe and excitement to have been assigned a Protector, the vampire had fallen head first into the idea of getting to meet her. He’d gotten as far as trying to straighten out living arrangements and training schedules before he finally remembered to ask Whistler when she would be joining them.

“She’s not.” He responded coolly from his position near the window.

“I don’t think I understand…” Angel began cautiously.

“The Council of Elders have decided that the two of you aren’t to have any unnecessary contact. You aren’t to seek her out or try to uncover her identity. She’ll be the one to initiate contact when you need her.”

“What?” Angel’s voice took on a dangerous edge.

“The decision wasn’t made by me, Angel. It was made by C.O.E. on the basis of safety, both hers and yours.”

“Safety? What the hell do you mean safety? Isn’t the POINT of her being appointed as a

Protector SAFETY? Who is this girl? What are you hiding from me? I KNEW there was something wrong with this wh-,”

Cordelia sighed.

In the end, it had turned into a huge fight. She’d never seen Angel so openly upset. Whistler had been as tight-lipped as ever and it was a good thing that the vampire hadn’t chosen to direct his questions at her or else she would have been tempted to divulge what she knew.

Luckily however, she hadn’t been pressed for information and she hadn’t accidentally given anything away either.

Shifting, she pulled closer to the fire, trying to chase away the cold, unsettled feeling in the pit of her stomach.

“I only hope we’re doing the right thing…”

They were just turning the corner of her street when Willow noticed it, “I thought the highway was that way,” she pointed in the opposite direction.

“It is. We have to make a pit stop first.”

“Where?”

“Sunnydale High School Library.”

“Wh-what? But we can’t!” All of a sudden, her numbness flew from her body and she felt like she might be sick, “It’s still pretty early. Giles is probably still there. If we try to get in, he’ll see us! There’s no way we can get past him.”

“That’s what I’m hoping for.” In shock, she simply looked at him, her green eyes wide in horror, “What do you mean?”

Shaking his head, he stared forward solemnly, “You’ll see.”

Having attuned himself to living on the Hellmouth, Giles was prepared for visitors well before the old wooden doors to the library creaked open. He wasn’t, however, prepared for the couple he saw before him.

“Willow?” he asked cautiously.

The redhead looked away.

“Whistler?” He looked at her companion, “What are you doing here?”

Willow’s mouth dropped open,

“You know him?”

“I am here, Watcher, on official business,” Whistler’s normally casual demeanor had suddenly become stiffly formal.

“Which is…?” Uneasily, Giles removed his glasses.

“I have come to relieve you of your charge, Willow Rosenberg.”

The librarian’s eye’s widened, horror flooding his normally neutral features, “You’re what?”

“She’s been marked by the Council Of Elders. She’s leaving with me tonight.” Whistler’s voice remained calm and firm.

To his credit, the Watcher recovered quickly, “Marked for what? Leaving for where? For how long?”

“Our destination can’t be shared for safety purposes and the length of her commitment to us has yet to be determined, but I can tell you that she’s been marked as a Protector.”

Abruptly, Giles sat down,

“A…a Protector?” he mumbled, almost too softly for anyone to hear him. Shaking his head slightly he stared at his desk, “May I ask who she has been assigned to protect?”

Taking a deep breath, Whistler braced himself for the impending blow out.

“Angel.” He responded.

The Watcher didn’t disappoint.

“Pardon?” Giles shot back up again, a dangerous look in his eyes, “Do you mind repeating that?” Without even bothering for a response he surged forward, “HOW DARE YOU!?” He shouted all of a sudden, startling the demon and causing Willow to jump back at the sudden appearance of Ripper. “Why you tiny, impotent, pathetic excuse for a-,”

Whistler bristled slightly and drew himself back up. “If you have a problem with it, take it before the C.O.E.”

Ignoring him, Giles stalked slowly around his desk, “How DARE you use her talents and waste them on the defense of a bloody killer.”

“Do you want to start a war over this, Watcher? Our Councils-,”

“I will not stand to see her risking her life to save someone who went to hell once already and damn well should have stayed there.”

“Our Councils have been at peace for over 500 years. Are you going to wage a war over a single girl-,”

“A single girl? A SINGLE GIRL? She’s the next Immortal Watcher and you damn well know it! You and your entire council of bloody bastards know it!” Giles shouted, his face contorted in fury.

Abruptly, silence reigned over the library.

Judging from the sound of blood rushing past her ears, Willow was fairly certain that she was going to faint very soon. < This is some kind of horrible mistake. Some sick twisted nightmare of a mistake… >

It was Whistler who finally broke the silence, “I’m sorry. It can’t be helped.”

His eyes snapping wildly, Giles’ voice grew harsh, “Funny, that sounds like the same thing I plan on telling your council of thieves when they find your worthless little carcass out-,”

“She was MARKED.” Whistler thundered, louder than his smaller frame should have allowed. “She was rightfully marked by the Council of Elders and if she was this important to the Watchers, you should have marked her years ago.”

“So help me GOD, if you even try and leave this library with her, I will kill you myself-,”

“STOP!” Willow finally screamed. “Stop it now or I walk out on both of you.”

Both men immediately halted in mid-breath.

“Stop…” she whimpered softly, “Please…just stop…” She was sick of it all. Sick and tired of the whole mess. Half of what she had heard, she still couldn’t believe, let alone understand. The other half of what she had heard was still just too much for her to handle. Suddenly she was beginning to feel just how young and inexperienced she really was.

“Willow,” Giles began, trying desperately to get her attention, “You can’t leave with him…”

Wordlessly, Whistler marched up to the library door, “Willow, let’s go.”

Tearfully, she lifted her gaze to the exit.

“Willow, look at me. Don’t listen to him. Your place is here.” Giles demanded again.

She glanced at him, but her timid gaze was pulled yet again back to Whistler, almost as if she couldn’t physically get away from him. As if they were reading her thoughts, her feet slowly took a step towards the door, as if through their own accord.

“Willow, no!” the desparation in the librarian’s voice was almost painful, “Please…you can’t do this. You can’t just accept this and run off…I swear, had I known…had I been able to tell you beforehand, I would have, but it wasn’t the right time.”

Slowly, Willow stepped back into place and faced Giles.

“It still isn’t the right time.” Whistler responded softly.

“Willow stay with me where you’re supposed to.” The watcher beckoned to her, “We still have so much to do. We have so much to discuss, so much for us to discover together. If you go with him, you might die before you’ll ever reach your full potential.”

“Willow, come with me now and you may be able to fulfill your destiny.” Whistler countered, “Stay here and Angel dies for certain.”

At their words, something deep inside of her flashed.

Slowly, she shook her head, clearing away her pain and fear.

“No.” she said quietly but with unwavering strength.

It was in that instant that she made up her mind as to which course she would follow and which destiny she would pursue.

And so, bravely and calmly she made her choice.

No hesitation.

No arguments.

It wasn’t until that day that she truly understood the depth of her power and the boundlessness of her abilities.

It wasn’t until that brilliant moment of clarity that she took up the reigns of her own life and took complete control of her actions.

It wasn’t until 3 hours later when she was safely in L.A. with Whistler that she finally allowed herself to cry.




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