Silly Giles

[british_watcher]

Who: Giles and Buffy
Where: A Coffee Shop in New Orleans
When: After Giles and Faith Arrive
What: Horrible Awkwardness
Status: COMPLETE

Comments

[british_watcher]

Well, wasn't this a surprise? He wasn't sure if it was a good one or a bad one. While he had known that she was in the area, he had hoped that it was a big enough area so that he wouldn't have to run into her. Nothing against her (well, not much), but it was a load of emotional stuff that he really didn't want to deal with right now.

He motioned her over before he said anything. Saying that you were looking for a Slayer these days was a good way to get yourself arrested. Even he wasn't that out of it. They both had to be careful in times like these. As much as he didn't agree with Buffy's motives (they were partially why they had to hide like this, after all), he still didn't want her to be in a jail, and he certainly didn't want to be in one himself.

Once she had come over to him, he said softly, "I'm looking for a particular Slayer. She ran away from her Watcher, and I'd like to talk to her, at least. She really shouldn't be out and about on her own." She was all of fifteen, for one reason. Her parents were also worried sick about her. If she didn't want to be a Slayer, and, during times like these, who could blame her, she still should have went home instead of taking a tour of of all the best clubs and bars that the United States had to offer.

[theslayer_buffy]

Moving over to Giles rather reluctantly, she folded her arms as he began explaining his reasons for coming. Frankly, she was kind of glad he was holed up in Cleveland or wherever the hell it was. That way, she was sure that if she ever needed him again, she knew where to find him. Of course, the self-pride she felt told her she didn't need him and was doing just fine on her own. Well, she was doing okay.

But, at least his motives were honorable. Tracking down a newbie, rogue slayer was definitely a reason to come. She was only wondering why they hadn't heard about it first. Willow should have, like, felt it or something, right? Actually Buffy had no idea how Willow was connected to the slayers.

"No, she shouldn't. Especially not in the number one vampire vacation spot," she agreed, though still looking as though she was talking to her school principal (not the hot, young one), instead of her ex-father figure.

"I'm guessing you have Faith with you, too," she said with slightly narrowing eyes. The girls had never truly gotten along, but now Faith had teamed up with Giles. It was just creepy to her. Or maybe she was just jealous. And possessive. If she was five, she could have stomped her feet and pouted, 'My watcher!' But, she was a mature woman. She didn't care. Really, she didn't.

[british_watcher]

He could tell that she didn't want him here. Frankly. he hadn't wanted to come here. Of course, he hadn't known how to get in touch with her, or he may have just called and had her look for the girl herself. Giles himself would have loved to have done anything else but try to awkwardly have a conversation with someone that he wasn't wanting to speak to at the moment.

At least she realized that he needed to be here, at least to look for this girl. Not that he needed her permission to be anywhere, especially in New Orleans or elsewhere. However, he didn't like that she was looking at him the same way she used to look at Snyder back in high school. He wanted to point out that she was the one who robbed a bank, not him. Then again, that wouldn't be very mature of him, would it?

"Yes, Faith is along as well," he pointed out. She knew that they were working together, so why would she even ask something like that. He knew that she didn't like Faith. She never would like Faith. They were just two people that rubbed each other the wrong way, and Buffy had a hard time forgiving, at least forgiving certain people.

What he wanted to do was bolt out of here like some idiotic high schooler and not have to deal with this. Once again, he was an adult. He couldn't do something like that, no matter how easy it would be. "So...how have you been doing?" he asked, still looking uncomfortable.

[theslayer_buffy]

Great, Buffy thought. What she needed now was to bump into Faith at some point where she's caught totally off guard. "Well, that's just great," she said, though her tone sounded pretty damn sarcastic.

She sighed, realizing that trying to have a normal conversation with Giles was nearly impossible. Being around him hurt a lot and she wasn't sure if there was any possible way she could make him understand why she did the things she did. Hell, if she hadn't gotten all that money, there wouldn't have been any way to transport Dawn across an ocean all the way to middle of nowhere Louisiana. So, there were definitely some upsides. Of course, the downsides were the government hunting them part. Woops.

She folded her arms, realizing just how much she could use that cup of coffee with the triple expresso shot. She shrugged at his question, "I've been all right. Sick of hiding out because everyone and their mother thinks we're the bad guys," she rolled her eyes.

"Dawn's still a giant, as far as I know. Willow and Xan are adjusting. We're all just fine," she said, not sure how fine they all really were, "But, I actually have this gig where I'm hunting vampires and actually getting paid. Some super high-up vampire, who calls himself the sheriff of the area offered it to me. He's too busy to kill them himself, I guess."

[british_watcher]

He caught that remark. Faith had to be feeling about the same. The two girls had never gotten along very well. They were too different. Of course, two Slayers were never meant to co-exist, either. Now with so many running around, it might only be a matter of time before they started fighting amongst themselves. Not as if that wasn't happening already, though.

Not that being around her didn't hurt a lot, either. He was barely sure of what to say to her, anymore. Actually, it hurt like hell not being able to talk to her anymore. They had actually built up a proper rapport once. Then that year that she died brought everything crashing down on all of their heads. He knew now that he should have stayed. Still, there was no going back now, was there?

"It would make everyone's lives a lot simpler if they didn't think that vampires were the next big thing," he muttered. Why the government disliking slayers was something that Buffy had helped cause, the vampire thing had taken them all completely by surprise. He was still worried over the idea of a vampire playing a hero. Maybe that was just because he didn't trust vampires, even ones with souls.

"You're working for a vampire...to kill vampires?" Well, it was a very large step up from robbing banks, and she was still doing her duty as a Slayer, even. Still, it didn't set right with him. Not that she seemed to want his opinion on things, anymore. So, he held back on saying anything else.

"Dawn's still a giant?" Something else to talk about. Thank the heavens. "Have you learned what caused it yet?"

[theslayer_buffy]

"No kidding," Buffy said, realizing that vampires 'coming out of the coffin' had really disrupted their entire way of life. What was the point of being a slayer (and having thousands of them, too) if you couldn't hunt vampires? Of course, there was still the occasional demon, until they came out of the shadows or cave or ground or wherever. She had a feeling the public would be less inclined to accept them.

At least she was partly over her slayer identity crisis since she had been given full permission to hunt again. And oddly enough, by a vampire. She heard the incredulity in Giles' voice and shrugged her shoulder, crossing her arms.

"It's the only way I can actually, you know, still be a slayer," she said, defensiveness coming into her voice, "Just because vampires are out in the open, doesn't mean all of them are following the rules. I don't know if this sheriff guy is what you would consider to be a 'good' vampire by anyone's standards, but if he's all for me slaying, then I'm game. Plus, Angel and Spike helped me hunt vampires all the time, they just didn't pay me." Except in ill-conceived dramatic romance.

Glad the conversation was turning back to her sister, she shook her head, "Nope. I sent Will out to her to see if she could try some more spells to break whatever spell is on her. But, I think it's more than just an accident," she said, sighing, not wanting to think about her too grown-up sister. "Dawn said a guy she was dating called himself a thricewise. And apparently the two had a pretty bad break-up, so I think he might have done that to her."

She realized Giles might actually be of help in this area. Not that she would ever admit it out loud. Maybe some big hints though. Otherwise, they were clueless.

[british_watcher]

While him and Buffy might not exactly be getting along right now, they were both in the same situation right now. Neither one of them could perform the job that they were both destined to do. Of course, Giles wasn't even sure how he felt about destiny anymore. It seemed that their destiny had done nothing but get them in a load of trouble.

He held up a hand when Buffy got defensive about her new job. "There are worse things to be doing right now that killing vampires for another vampire." Of course, in Giles's opinion, even vampires with souls were suspect. Once again, he kept that opinion to himself, though.

"A thricewise? Why on earth was Dawn dating a thricewise?" Those particular types of demons were incredibly rare. He was amazed that she had even met one, much less decided to date it. "Did he curse her?" A thricewise curse was nearly impossible to break without getting the thricewise itself to do it. If she had been cursed by a thricewise, then it would be a hard trial indeed for Dawn to be able to be back to normal.

[theslayer_buffy]

Buffy saw the hand and backed down. This was really no time to be fighting or attempting to start an argument, especially in a crowded cafe. She just hoped no one was eavesdropping on their bizarre conversation.

"I don't think Dawn knew he was a thricewise," she said, "I think she found out after they had broken up and well, she turned into a giant." She nodded, "I'm assuming so. There weren't any wishes done and well, Willow's too good of a witch to be accidentally casting spells like that. I can only hope she fixed her," she said, "But, nobody's called me, so I doubt it." She absentmindedly took the cell phone out of her pocket, which revealed no new calls or text messages.

She paused as she looked back up at her ex-watcher, swallowing not only another lump in her throat, but her pride, "Did you want to help? I mean, help Dawn and Willow out with this. They'd probably really appreciate it." And she would too, but this was not about her. Nope.

[british_watcher]

Fighting right now would do neither of them any good. It would cause undo attention, which, on a good day, would only get them stares. Of course, there was rarely a day that good anymore. Talk like this could get them arrested once others realized who they were. Buffy might be at the top of the list of wanted, but Giles was on there as well.

"They look human, so I'm not surprised that she didn't know," Giles replied. "They usually don't go around announcing themselves." Which was why Dawn getting cursed by one sounded so odd. It took a lot to even do a curse, so she must have done something bad to make it that angry. He was about to ask what she might have done when Buffy surprised him with her next question.

"Um...of course....of course I'd be willing to help," he said, looking away for a moment. He actually hadn't expected that. Buffy was obviously uncomfortable around him in a way that hurt him deeply, considering how they used to be around one another. "Where is she at?"

[theslayer_buffy]

Buffy nodded to Giles words, "Right. I guess I shouldn't be surprised. Demony kinda chick, sister of a slayer attracts the demony kinda guys," she sighed, "If only I had been relatively normal, then Dawn might even have more of a normal life. But, no, I'm hunted by the government while she is a giant...ess." She was dropping her guard without realizing it and falling into her old pattern of confiding her feelings in Giles. She quickly shook her head, "But, it's no big. We'll figure it out."

Her brows moved upwards as Giles agreed to help them out with this, "Really?" she said, sounding more incredulous than surprised. It was a reflex. "No, really, that'd be great. She's actually out in the middle of nowhere, near some hick town called Bon Temps. We stuck her in a forest so no one would see her."

She paused before saying, "If you want, you can come back to our sorta mini-headquarters and help Willow do some research. I'm sure she'd appreciate it."

[british_watcher]

It seemed like Buffy had been a little surprised to hear that he would actually help. Did she really think that he would just let Dawn be stuck as a giant if there was something that he could do to help? Then she didn't know him quite as well as she thought she did. Then again, he hadn't known her as well as he thought he did, either.

"I think I know where that is," he said when she said the name of the town. Bon Temps. Something rang in the back of his mind, but he couldn't place it just yet.

"Yes, I'd be willing to do some research with Willow right now," he said to her. Willow, another person that he hadn't seen in quite a long time. Maybe his reunion with her would be slightly less awkward. He certainly hoped so, at any rate. This one the two of them had barely gotten through.

[theslayer_buffy]

Buffy was obviously grateful, but still wary of bringing Giles back to their new headquarters. It wasn't quite as high-tech as their previous one in Scotland, but it was still pretty nice. And hell, practically a mansion. But, they really needed something that big to house the slayers.

She reached into her purse for a piece of paper and a pen. She propped it against the wall and scribbled their address and her cell phone number. She handed it over to him a little reluctantly at first, "Well, this is where we're at. If you want to meet up with us."

She paused, "Or I could just take you there now. I probably missed my chance with that vampire, anyway. I can get him tomorrow."

[british_watcher]

He took the paper from her. He could feel her reluctance, and he wasn't exactly thrilled to be working with her, either. He didn't trust her anymore. Not that she had really trusted him for a long time, or at least she hadn't acted like she had, anyway. Trust was something that was lacking in their relationship.

"I can go with you now," he said to her. He could put a quick call to Faith from a payphone, or even from a phone in their own home, although that wouldn't exactly be very stealthy of him, now, would it? The quicker that this was done, though, the better.

If things worked out between them, that would be wonderful. If they didn't, then, after this, they could go their separate ways again.

[theslayer_buffy]

OOC: I think we can end this thread and I think Gina said she'd be putting up a thread for all of them soon. I'll update the OOC stuff tomorrow and remind her to do that.