It was really cool sunny_d_reunion
At first. Not just being a watcher. I'd always been that, though it took a few years with Giles to understand exactly what that meant. I gave advice. I helped train. And I watched just like he always did (though he drew a paycheck far longer for it than I did).
So I learned. I even had a slayer once, one of the girls that was effected by Willow's spell. Like most watchers (and very unlike Giles), my slayer died before she turned 20. I can't go into the details. They're too...painful. Now I understand how Giles felt, every time Buffy died. Not just as a friend, but as a mentor, teacher and sometimes parental figure. For some of us life hands us all the loss we can bear, and pushes us to our limits.
But now I was there. I could not sit here in London, while I knew some sociopath was after Willow. I couldn't lose her too. We'd kept in touch, through e-mail, phone calls, and the occasional visit. It was fun. I got to know her girlfriend, and she never met mine. I didn't keep any long enough to count. You can't, as a watcher, because so much of your life is hidden. I know that now.
Giles had wanted me to stay, and watch over the Council (I can't resit a good pun). I can't. Andrew, who has really become a man, will be the Officer-in-charge while I'm gone. All the younger watchers respect him. And he too, lost his slayer, although a bit faster than I did mine. We didn't fault him though. We faulted the demons. It's a cruel world, and I consider those who don't know exactly what is out there, sometimes anyway, to be the lucky ones.
But back to Willow. I wasn't going to let her die, not if I could help. I made sure Giles and I had tickets for the same time, the same plane. Of course, that was also to help him. He can't carry his own baggage anymore, no matter how much he wishes he could. And yes, I mean that literally and figuratively. I know, because I've seen it. I've watched him decline as he aged, but very slowly.
So I'll help take care of him, and Willow. And Buffy, Dawn and their girls'. Giles even called Tara. I don't know how anyone will react to that, our secret we've kept for years. But she's needed now. We're all needed now.
So it'll be one big happy reunion. 'Cause it could be the end of the world. Again.
And for the thousandth-million time, I find myself wishing that Anya would be there as well.
So I learned. I even had a slayer once, one of the girls that was effected by Willow's spell. Like most watchers (and very unlike Giles), my slayer died before she turned 20. I can't go into the details. They're too...painful. Now I understand how Giles felt, every time Buffy died. Not just as a friend, but as a mentor, teacher and sometimes parental figure. For some of us life hands us all the loss we can bear, and pushes us to our limits.
But now I was there. I could not sit here in London, while I knew some sociopath was after Willow. I couldn't lose her too. We'd kept in touch, through e-mail, phone calls, and the occasional visit. It was fun. I got to know her girlfriend, and she never met mine. I didn't keep any long enough to count. You can't, as a watcher, because so much of your life is hidden. I know that now.
Giles had wanted me to stay, and watch over the Council (I can't resit a good pun). I can't. Andrew, who has really become a man, will be the Officer-in-charge while I'm gone. All the younger watchers respect him. And he too, lost his slayer, although a bit faster than I did mine. We didn't fault him though. We faulted the demons. It's a cruel world, and I consider those who don't know exactly what is out there, sometimes anyway, to be the lucky ones.
But back to Willow. I wasn't going to let her die, not if I could help. I made sure Giles and I had tickets for the same time, the same plane. Of course, that was also to help him. He can't carry his own baggage anymore, no matter how much he wishes he could. And yes, I mean that literally and figuratively. I know, because I've seen it. I've watched him decline as he aged, but very slowly.
So I'll help take care of him, and Willow. And Buffy, Dawn and their girls'. Giles even called Tara. I don't know how anyone will react to that, our secret we've kept for years. But she's needed now. We're all needed now.
So it'll be one big happy reunion. 'Cause it could be the end of the world. Again.
And for the thousandth-million time, I find myself wishing that Anya would be there as well.