It all started one day in "the Old Watcher's Home" sunny_d_reunion
Woke up to another rainy morning here in Bath. Nothing unusual about that. My knee and hip were aching, as happens in, well, any weather. I was going to take my usual afternoon stroll down to the Tea Room in town, a place we get together, and talk and have just a pleasant afternoon. After all these years, it is what I'd been craving. The silence. Some chess. No end of the world stuff.
Not that it didn't pop up from time to time, but right now I was letting Xander handle it. I was getting old, and wanted to enjoy what was left of my time.
Before leaving, I check my cane as I always do. It's well oiled on the inside, and the sword is sharp. Never can be too careful.
Nearly to the door, when I heard, "Rupert Giles, you have a phone call." Bernice, the wife of one of my late colleges liked to answer the phone. I think it made her feel as though she were more a part of things around here, having not been a watcher herself (of course, not everyone here had been).
"Hello," I answered. I listened, and listened. And dropped my cane. I kept my voice steady however.
"Yes, Okay. I see. I understand. Thank you." I hung up, and just stood there for a moment. It couldn't be. Not now. Not to her.
"Bernice, I'm going to be using the phone for a while." She nodded, and wandered down the hall in search of something else useful to do.
I dialed the first number that came to my head, "Buffy..."
Then the next, "Dawn..."
Then "Tara..." whom I'd kept in touch with.
And "Angel...oh, and Faith is there? Please, tell her too."
"Xander, you'll need appoint someone else for a while, we're needed back in States. Here's why..."
And last, but never least: "Willow," I got her on the other end, and she didn't sound too happy. Something had already happened.
I told her what I knew, and said "...we're all meeting back at home."
All these years, and Sunnydale was the only real home I ever knew. I went back to my room, and prepared a bag. We'd be leaving tonight, on the red-eye, and be in Sunnydale as soon as we could. Xander said he'd pick me up here, and drive to the airport.
((open to anyone who wants to answer, other wise Giles and Xander will be making their way back to the States. Since everyone knows the basic why's, it was easier to ... then to write it out over and over again. You know what he said. Feel free to react *grin*)).
Not that it didn't pop up from time to time, but right now I was letting Xander handle it. I was getting old, and wanted to enjoy what was left of my time.
Before leaving, I check my cane as I always do. It's well oiled on the inside, and the sword is sharp. Never can be too careful.
Nearly to the door, when I heard, "Rupert Giles, you have a phone call." Bernice, the wife of one of my late colleges liked to answer the phone. I think it made her feel as though she were more a part of things around here, having not been a watcher herself (of course, not everyone here had been).
"Hello," I answered. I listened, and listened. And dropped my cane. I kept my voice steady however.
"Yes, Okay. I see. I understand. Thank you." I hung up, and just stood there for a moment. It couldn't be. Not now. Not to her.
"Bernice, I'm going to be using the phone for a while." She nodded, and wandered down the hall in search of something else useful to do.
I dialed the first number that came to my head, "Buffy..."
Then the next, "Dawn..."
Then "Tara..." whom I'd kept in touch with.
And "Angel...oh, and Faith is there? Please, tell her too."
"Xander, you'll need appoint someone else for a while, we're needed back in States. Here's why..."
And last, but never least: "Willow," I got her on the other end, and she didn't sound too happy. Something had already happened.
I told her what I knew, and said "...we're all meeting back at home."
All these years, and Sunnydale was the only real home I ever knew. I went back to my room, and prepared a bag. We'd be leaving tonight, on the red-eye, and be in Sunnydale as soon as we could. Xander said he'd pick me up here, and drive to the airport.
((open to anyone who wants to answer, other wise Giles and Xander will be making their way back to the States. Since everyone knows the basic why's, it was easier to ... then to write it out over and over again. You know what he said. Feel free to react *grin*)).