you know enough to know the way

[goodlording]

It's late afternoon when Rupert Giles steps out of the library closest to the Kashtta with a pile of books in his arms. As far as he's concerned, his first day in Chicago has, thus far, been completely successful.

Ten months ago, Giles was in Sunnydale. It was the year 2000.

He's still not exactly sure how it happened-no one ever is, according to

Comments

[archangelet]

Tay is not watching where she's going, being more concerned with what's going on with the cellphone she's holding. Were she your average girl, this might not be too dangerous, but she's solid, six feet tall, and walks fast.

She decided, you see, that she was going to get ahold of a cell (which she did) and call Buffy's number from back home. Just on the off chance that the Buffy who'd known her here was still out there, and had the same number.

A lot of ringing later got a rather impersonal voice mail automatic announcement, which Tay doesn't know what to think of, so she leaves a message. Just in case.

"Um, hey. It's Tay. Not your Tay, I'm... I fell through the rift. And... we were friends back home, and I heard we were friends here, too. So... I guess if you want to, come back to Chicago. I miss you. Oh, and if this isn't Buffy--" And that's when she runs into a man carrying a stack of books.

Oops.

[archangelet]

"Sounds cool." And she actually means that, believe it or not. But then, she's trained and hunted and patrolled and fought with Buffy Summers. She knows that life with the Slayer is not quiet. "She talked about you a lot. Figure it would've been nice, having a Watcher growin' up."

'Growing up', as if she doesn't still look like she's about 17, despite her height and lean muscle, as if she's not only barely an adult.

[goodlording]

Cue an eyebrow arch. He honestly doesn't know what's even possible in this world, since he's seen so much. It therefore wouldn't be that unheard of if...

"Are you a Slayer?"

[archangelet]

Tay laughs and shakes her head. "Nah, 'm an angel. A Barnam, if you know anything about the powerful angel families of North America, but... my whole family's archangels. I grew up training to be one, but I never really had any one person doing training stuff with me." Being a mentor or a parental figure, either. "I ended up a guardian, go figure. I still kick ass, though."

[goodlording]

"I'm familiar with the angels of this world," Giles says, then shakes his head. "But not the Barnams. This is my first time in North America since I arrived... ah, here. In this world."

He chuckles at her last comment and nods. "I'm certain you do."

She definitely looks like she can kick ass. A lot of ass.

"Do you have a ward?"

[archangelet]

"Basically they're batshit fucking insane," Tay explains. "And they run New England."

Tay sighs a little at the question. It's still strange, not having El around, not having that connection. "I... did. I dunno, it's a weird thing. Anyway, I don't anymore."

[goodlording]

Giles blinks and makes a mental note to Research that. "I see."

He notices her sigh and frowns, worried he may have pushed the wrong button. And then her reply tells him that he did. "I'm sorry," he says, looking apologetic. "I've read that can be terribly hard on a guardian. Are you... okay?"

[archangelet]

"Not... it's not the same sort of situation," Tay says slowly. "My ward didn't die, he's just... back on the other side of the Rift. This place is almost identical to where I'm from. Anyway, it's mostly just... weird."

And thank god. She doesn't know if she could handle the sort of shit Mat went through without losing her shit.

[goodlording]

"Ah."

He thinks he gets it. But he doesn't want to pry any further, since she's obviously uncomfortable with it. So instead, he offers her a little smile.

"Well, any friend of Buffy's is a friend of mine, so it's very nice to meet you."

This is actually not 100% true, but Tay is not a vampire. So.

[archangelet]

Tay smiles back at him with her cocky little grin. "Can't say the same, 'cause Buffy has real shitty taste in guys, but you seem cool. Nice to meet you, too."

Yeah, Tay knows exactly what you mean on that count, Giles, and she's not afraid to mention it.

[goodlording]

Oh, Tay.

You totally just won him over.

"Care to help me get these books over to the Kashtta?"

I know this is late, feel free not to respond, I'm just cleaning out the inbox.

[archangelet]

"Sure," Tay says with a shrug. It's no skin off her teeth to do it.

"Whatcha need all these books for, anyway?"