"Fred, sweetheart, are you sure you don't want to come back here and help us? You won't believe the lab they have here. Knowing you and your big brain, you'd be able to help out so much with some of the things we've been dealing with already. Better than the guy currently handling things, that's for sure
( ... )
After dialing the number, Giles wrapped his fingers around the cord of the phone. Since it was an international call, it took a bit longer for it to go through. It gave him a chance to think of what he was going to say. He didn’t feel completely comfortable with calling Fred. They didn’t know each other and he didn’t want to seem strange.
There was finally a click and a ring tone. Giles turned his attention to the window and started to count out the rings in his head. Perhaps she wasn’t home. He didn’t want to leave a message for her either since he rather speak to her one-on-one. Giles was about to hang up the phone when he heard her voice.
“Um, Hello Ms. Burkle. I’m Rupert Giles and I--” He didn’t know how much he should tell her. Then he figured she knew Angel and Willow and probably knew about the Watcher’s Council also. “I’m a friend of Willow’s. She gave me your number and suggested I ring, er, call you. I work for the Watcher’s Council and I wanted to speak to you about employing you.”
The English accent from the speaker on the other end surprised Fred, especially when he introduced himself as Rupert Giles. She had heard a bit about him - mainly from Willow when she had come down to help them re-soul Angelus a couple of months before. She had mentioned something about having trouble with her magic around the time Wesley had died, and Giles had apparently helped her.
But Willow had also mentioned that the Watchers Council had been pretty much destroyed, taken out by whatever it was that they were fighting in Sunnydale that she needed Faith to go back and help them with. Were they rebuilding now? It made sense, all things considered, but what on earth could she offer them that they didn't already have or know?
"Me? A job?" she asked. "Wh--why? I know Wesley taught me a bit about languages and demonology and things like that before he died, and I've learned a bit more on my own since then, but I'm nowhere near an expert of any kind in that sort of stuff, and I thought that was what Watchers need to know."
Giles owlishly blinked his eyes when Fred started to ramble off. He tried to get a word in but she continued to speak. Instead, he furrowed his brow and took in all of her words. Giles could see why Willow liked Fred so much. They seemed to have the same speech patterns and he almost chuckled out loud when he wondered what it would be like to have them in the same room, talking.
“I assure you Ms. Burkle that we have all the Watchers we need,” Giles started when Fred stopped talking. And it was the truth. With the Council under new leadership it seemed more people were willing to become Watchers again. “I want to offer you a job heading up our science department.” He paused for a second but then started speak again, knowing he had to get what he needed to say in.
“It’s a state-of-an-art facility. Brand new with a bit of new equipment. I’ve been having a quite time finding someone to fill the position,” Giles continued. “Willow suggested I call you. I hope I’m not interrupting anything.”
"Ladies and Gentlemen, will you please take your seats and make sure your seat belts are fastened and your tray tables up and in the locked position. We are beginning our final descent into London-Heathrow
( ... )
Giles was getting nervous. He was starting to wonder if Fred had even came or not. His palms were starting to sweat from holding the sign for too long. Giles was about to drop the sign and leave when a beautiful woman started toward him. He didn’t think she was there to see him, unless this was Fred, and if it was, Willow had left out how beautiful she was.
When she stopped in front of him and said she was Fred, Giles almost dropped the sign. He gave her a smile and reached around his back with one hand. Hoping she didn’t notice, he calmly wiped his sweaty palm on the back of his shirt before extending it out to her.
“I’m, uh, I’m Rupert Giles,” he said. “It’s nice to meet you Ms. Burkle.” There was silent disappointment on Giles’ behalf since he felt he was acting like a schoolboy with a crush. “It’s nice to finally meet you. Do you have luggage?” He made a face. “Of course you have luggage.”
When Fred shook Giles' hand, she felt a bit self-conscious - after have spent all day flying, she felt a bit gritty and ucky. Not exactly the impression she wanted to make on the man who was interviewing her for the job. If she had known he was the one that would be meeting her, she would have ducked into the bathroom and at least run a brush through her hair, which at the moment was pulled back in a rather unruly braid
( ... )
Giles slowly let go of her hand, the smile still plastered on her face. He noticed he still had the sign in his other hand and shook his head. As Fred talked, he leaned over and dropped the sign into a nearby bin. Her rambling was endearing and he smiled again when she finished telling him about her packing adventures
( ... )
“Like I said Ms.-- Fred, I haven’t the slightest clue as to what the lab entails. I would only be in your way if I tried to oversee your day-to-day operation. Although, I might need your help with research from time to tome,” he said as he glanced down at the papers in her hands. “Willow says I should just stop researching and let the research department do it but I can’t. It’s part of my life now
( ... )
Fred nodded in understanding, remembering how much Wesley had seemed to relish research. He had said it was because it had been how he had been brought up, but she always secretly suspected that he did rather enjoy the challenge of it
( ... )
Both were reasonable questions and Giles nodded his head. “The Council has housing for those in their employ if they chose to use it. The flats are quite nice and close to the main building. It could be a good place to start until you can find something more suitable for your needs,” he explained as the limo slowed again. Bloody traffic. “I have my own flat away from the Council. Not that you care
( ... )
The fact that the Council offered housing was a good thing - it would make relocating easier, at least to begin with because she could stay there for a while and then move elsewhere if she decided she wanted something more private after a while.
"Do a lot of people have their own flats, like you?" she asked, actually finding her interest piqued, trying to imagine what kind of place he would have. Something typically English? Or something more functional? She couldn't decide. "Maybe if I decide that I want a place of my own, you can recommend an area to live."
She realized that she was talking like she had already accepted the job and glanced down at the papers in her hand, feeling her cheeks burning a bit from embarassment. Way to get ahead of yourself, Fred, she told herself
( ... )
Fred gave him a nervous smile when he agreed to stay and have dinner with her, glad that he wasn't leaving yet. At least her little ramble in the elevator hadn't scared him off.
The suite was enormous - bigger than even the suite Angel had lived in at the Hyperion. As she turned on the lights, she looked around in amazement. She had never stayed in anything this luxurious before, and she was starting to feel very, very spoiled, especially after flying business class on the flight and riding in a limo here.
"When you said that this was the hotel's best suite, I never imagined anything like this," she said as she walked over to join him by the window. He was right - the view was breathtaking.
But what he said next actually caused her to stopped breathing for a moment. She turned her head to gaze at him, her voice catching in her throat as she tried to make herself say something - anything - to him
( ... )
"I would never lie about a woman's beautiful, Fred," he said with a smile. When she touched him again, he felt the familiar shock. Definitely not static, he determined as he bravely raised his hand up and softly touched her face. "Beautiful and intelligent. It's the prefect package, in my opinion
( ... )
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There was finally a click and a ring tone. Giles turned his attention to the window and started to count out the rings in his head. Perhaps she wasn’t home. He didn’t want to leave a message for her either since he rather speak to her one-on-one. Giles was about to hang up the phone when he heard her voice.
“Um, Hello Ms. Burkle. I’m Rupert Giles and I--” He didn’t know how much he should tell her. Then he figured she knew Angel and Willow and probably knew about the Watcher’s Council also. “I’m a friend of Willow’s. She gave me your number and suggested I ring, er, call you. I work for the Watcher’s Council and I wanted to speak to you about employing you.”
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But Willow had also mentioned that the Watchers Council had been pretty much destroyed, taken out by whatever it was that they were fighting in Sunnydale that she needed Faith to go back and help them with. Were they rebuilding now? It made sense, all things considered, but what on earth could she offer them that they didn't already have or know?
"Me? A job?" she asked. "Wh--why? I know Wesley taught me a bit about languages and demonology and things like that before he died, and I've learned a bit more on my own since then, but I'm nowhere near an expert of any kind in that sort of stuff, and I thought that was what Watchers need to know."
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“I assure you Ms. Burkle that we have all the Watchers we need,” Giles started when Fred stopped talking. And it was the truth. With the Council under new leadership it seemed more people were willing to become Watchers again. “I want to offer you a job heading up our science department.” He paused for a second but then started speak again, knowing he had to get what he needed to say in.
“It’s a state-of-an-art facility. Brand new with a bit of new equipment. I’ve been having a quite time finding someone to fill the position,” Giles continued. “Willow suggested I call you. I hope I’m not interrupting anything.”
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When she stopped in front of him and said she was Fred, Giles almost dropped the sign. He gave her a smile and reached around his back with one hand. Hoping she didn’t notice, he calmly wiped his sweaty palm on the back of his shirt before extending it out to her.
“I’m, uh, I’m Rupert Giles,” he said. “It’s nice to meet you Ms. Burkle.” There was silent disappointment on Giles’ behalf since he felt he was acting like a schoolboy with a crush. “It’s nice to finally meet you. Do you have luggage?” He made a face. “Of course you have luggage.”
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"Do a lot of people have their own flats, like you?" she asked, actually finding her interest piqued, trying to imagine what kind of place he would have. Something typically English? Or something more functional? She couldn't decide. "Maybe if I decide that I want a place of my own, you can recommend an area to live."
She realized that she was talking like she had already accepted the job and glanced down at the papers in her hand, feeling her cheeks burning a bit from embarassment. Way to get ahead of yourself, Fred, she told herself ( ... )
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The suite was enormous - bigger than even the suite Angel had lived in at the Hyperion. As she turned on the lights, she looked around in amazement. She had never stayed in anything this luxurious before, and she was starting to feel very, very spoiled, especially after flying business class on the flight and riding in a limo here.
"When you said that this was the hotel's best suite, I never imagined anything like this," she said as she walked over to join him by the window. He was right - the view was breathtaking.
But what he said next actually caused her to stopped breathing for a moment. She turned her head to gaze at him, her voice catching in her throat as she tried to make herself say something - anything - to him ( ... )
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