The Summer After. 3/6.
Title: The Summer After.
Author: elisi.
Summary: A few weeks post-NFA Giles meets some old acquaintances. But where do their loyalties lie these days? And what exactly do they want with Giles?
Rating: PG.
Feedback: Please? *looks hopeful*
Previous chapters here.
Chapter 3
The words seemed to echo in Giles’ head. He closed his eyes.
This isn’t happening. In a moment I’ll wake up and I’ll be at home in my bed and Andrew will call with another unnecessary report, and I’ll do some research...
He heard a sigh. Opening his eyes he saw Spike looking at the strange creature, a small smile tugging at the corner of his mouth.
“We’re not going to kill him, oh Vengeful One - what would be the point in that?”
The demon turned from Giles and looked at Spike. “He betrayed you. Death is what he deserves.”
Spike shrugged. “Well, yeah. But considering how many times we’ve saved his life, killing him now would be rather pointless.”
Giles inwardly let out a sigh of relief. But it still left the question of what they wanted him for.
Blue eyes scrutinised him again, seemingly reading his mind. “Then for what purpose did you seek him out?”
“Well - that’s meant to be a sort of surprise for you.” Spike answered, voice guarded.
The creature cocked its head birdlike, studying the vampire. “A... surprise? I do not understand.”
Angel and Spike looked at each other. There was a slight hesitation, then Spike spoke. “I think we’d better find somewhere to sit down and talk about this in peace.”
Suddenly the vampires and the strange blue demon stiffened. Giles wondered what they had sensed, when a faint growling sound could be heard in the distance.
“Bloody hell!” Spike groaned. “How did they find us so quickly?”
“It doesn’t matter now!” Angel replied tersely. “Spike, we’ll go back to back. Illyria, guard the human!”
Seconds later, a large group of demons came around the corner. Giles, trying to remember where he had heard the name ‘Illyria’ before, looked at his diminutive assigned guardian and wondered whether the vampires wanted him dead after all, just not at their own hands.
Intending to call out to them, he turned to see that they now stood side by side, unsheathing their swords in eerie unison. They appeared to be talking to each other, so quietly that Giles could not catch the words. Then the demons charged.
The first minutes were a blur, with Giles unable to see much except Illyria’s methodical slaughter. Apart from being a superior fighter, she(?) seemed invulnerable, swords and axes unable to penetrate her hide. “What exactly is she?” he wondered, as she gracefully broke a scaly demon's back, before tearing off its head.
Moments later, a demon - aiming for Illyria - nearly cut Giles in half, so she lifted him up on top of the wall. He felt rather silly, being relegated to spectator, but reason told him that these demons were probably too much for a human. And thankfully they showed no interest in him.
Now at a better vantage point his eyes were drawn to the centre of the fight. Spike and Angel were back to back, fighting with an inbuilt rhythm unlike anything Giles had ever seen before. The Watcher in him wished his Slayers were there with him, to observe what he had so many times tried to explain about teamwork - that if they could act as one, they could defeat nearly any foe. But slowly he became so absorbed that he stopped analysing.
He had fought alongside them many times, and watching them now he wondered what it was that seemed so different. Their synergy was incredible, but not too far from what he had seen Buffy and Spike display.
As the demon herd thinned out, he realised what it was. Whereas they were both excellent fighters, usually they would display their skills with some bravado - Spike especially seemed to revel in special flourishes - but now their moves were a showcase for pared-down economy. They seemed to take no joy in the fight, and as they killed the last demons he noticed deep fatigue in their movements.
For how long have they been doing this? he thought.
The vampires however did not appear to be in the mood to answer questions, so he climbed down from the wall and stood quietly by himself, waiting for them to finish off anything that stirred before cleaning their swords.
Spike looked up. “Well, I for one could really do with a drink now - if I remember rightly there’s a lovely little pub just down this way. ‘The King’s Arms’ it was called. Stopped by a few times with Dru last time we were here. They ought to remember me - if not I’ll remind them! I don’t feel like paying for anything tonight!”
Angel nodded and they set off down the road, leaving the dead demons where they had fallen. Giles noticed that they were all marked with a symbol of some kind, but it was too dark to make out. Maybe he would be able to come back later and study them. That of course depended on how long Spike and Angel were planning on keeping him...
Go to Chapter 4.
Author: elisi.
Summary: A few weeks post-NFA Giles meets some old acquaintances. But where do their loyalties lie these days? And what exactly do they want with Giles?
Rating: PG.
Feedback: Please? *looks hopeful*
Previous chapters here.
Chapter 3
The words seemed to echo in Giles’ head. He closed his eyes.
This isn’t happening. In a moment I’ll wake up and I’ll be at home in my bed and Andrew will call with another unnecessary report, and I’ll do some research...
He heard a sigh. Opening his eyes he saw Spike looking at the strange creature, a small smile tugging at the corner of his mouth.
“We’re not going to kill him, oh Vengeful One - what would be the point in that?”
The demon turned from Giles and looked at Spike. “He betrayed you. Death is what he deserves.”
Spike shrugged. “Well, yeah. But considering how many times we’ve saved his life, killing him now would be rather pointless.”
Giles inwardly let out a sigh of relief. But it still left the question of what they wanted him for.
Blue eyes scrutinised him again, seemingly reading his mind. “Then for what purpose did you seek him out?”
“Well - that’s meant to be a sort of surprise for you.” Spike answered, voice guarded.
The creature cocked its head birdlike, studying the vampire. “A... surprise? I do not understand.”
Angel and Spike looked at each other. There was a slight hesitation, then Spike spoke. “I think we’d better find somewhere to sit down and talk about this in peace.”
Suddenly the vampires and the strange blue demon stiffened. Giles wondered what they had sensed, when a faint growling sound could be heard in the distance.
“Bloody hell!” Spike groaned. “How did they find us so quickly?”
“It doesn’t matter now!” Angel replied tersely. “Spike, we’ll go back to back. Illyria, guard the human!”
Seconds later, a large group of demons came around the corner. Giles, trying to remember where he had heard the name ‘Illyria’ before, looked at his diminutive assigned guardian and wondered whether the vampires wanted him dead after all, just not at their own hands.
Intending to call out to them, he turned to see that they now stood side by side, unsheathing their swords in eerie unison. They appeared to be talking to each other, so quietly that Giles could not catch the words. Then the demons charged.
The first minutes were a blur, with Giles unable to see much except Illyria’s methodical slaughter. Apart from being a superior fighter, she(?) seemed invulnerable, swords and axes unable to penetrate her hide. “What exactly is she?” he wondered, as she gracefully broke a scaly demon's back, before tearing off its head.
Moments later, a demon - aiming for Illyria - nearly cut Giles in half, so she lifted him up on top of the wall. He felt rather silly, being relegated to spectator, but reason told him that these demons were probably too much for a human. And thankfully they showed no interest in him.
Now at a better vantage point his eyes were drawn to the centre of the fight. Spike and Angel were back to back, fighting with an inbuilt rhythm unlike anything Giles had ever seen before. The Watcher in him wished his Slayers were there with him, to observe what he had so many times tried to explain about teamwork - that if they could act as one, they could defeat nearly any foe. But slowly he became so absorbed that he stopped analysing.
He had fought alongside them many times, and watching them now he wondered what it was that seemed so different. Their synergy was incredible, but not too far from what he had seen Buffy and Spike display.
As the demon herd thinned out, he realised what it was. Whereas they were both excellent fighters, usually they would display their skills with some bravado - Spike especially seemed to revel in special flourishes - but now their moves were a showcase for pared-down economy. They seemed to take no joy in the fight, and as they killed the last demons he noticed deep fatigue in their movements.
For how long have they been doing this? he thought.
The vampires however did not appear to be in the mood to answer questions, so he climbed down from the wall and stood quietly by himself, waiting for them to finish off anything that stirred before cleaning their swords.
Spike looked up. “Well, I for one could really do with a drink now - if I remember rightly there’s a lovely little pub just down this way. ‘The King’s Arms’ it was called. Stopped by a few times with Dru last time we were here. They ought to remember me - if not I’ll remind them! I don’t feel like paying for anything tonight!”
Angel nodded and they set off down the road, leaving the dead demons where they had fallen. Giles noticed that they were all marked with a symbol of some kind, but it was too dark to make out. Maybe he would be able to come back later and study them. That of course depended on how long Spike and Angel were planning on keeping him...
Go to Chapter 4.