Watchers Retreat: Part 6

Suddenly the creature stopped moving. Giles watched in disbelief as its head came loose of its body and rolled to the ground, followed by the rest of it. Not understanding, Giles looked up and his eyes locked with those of his Slayer. He wondered for a moment if he were dead. He softly spoke her name. "Buffy?"

Buffy let out a cry and threw herself in his arms. "You're alive. I don't believe it, you're alive." The relief of finding him safe and sound almost overwhelmed her. "Oh, God. Oh, God."

Giles wrapped his arms around her, still not quite believing it. "How…?" He pulled back so he could see her face. "You're really here?" He glanced up and saw Xander, and then Wendell.

Wendell grinned at him. "I brought you some help."

Xander waved. "Hey, big guy. Thought we'd drop in. Never could resist a camp sing-along."

Giles looked back down at Buffy, trying to take it in, that somehow, miraculously, she was there, that she had saved him. Not to mention the fact that she was actually talking to him, and hugging him. Suddenly none of it mattered. He held her tightly. "I have never been so glad to see anyone in my entire life as I am to see you."

She pulled back, tears in her eyes. "Really?"

Giles let out a short laugh. "Really." He cupped her cheek. "I've missed you so much."

Buffy let out her own soggy laugh. "I've missed you too."

He hugged her again and looked at Wendell. "Where was she?"

"Down in Weaverville, looking for you."

Giles looked down at Buffy. "How did you know where I was?"

Buffy's face darkened. "Can I tell you that later?"

"Of course." He turned her, keeping one arm around her, to introduce her. "This is Buffy, my Slayer."

Buffy grinned when she heard his phrase. My Slayer. Not the Slayer, but my Slayer. Something inside of Buffy began to unwind. Giles reached out to Xander and pulled him in for a hug. Xander clutched at him for a moment, so glad to find him alive after that never-ending drive that he was struggling to fight off his tears. Giles introduced him as well. "And this young man is Xander Harris."

Giles could hear the excited murmurs. The Slayer was here. Rupert's Slayer was here. Buffy looked down at the creature. "Are there more?"

"At least one, possibly more."

Celiane moved to stand in front of him. "You've been hurt."

Giles glanced down at his forearm. "It's nothing."

Celiane shook her head. "It's not nothing. You know that."

Buffy frowned. "What does she mean?"

"It doesn't matter. There's nothing to be done about it anyway."

Buffy didn't like the sound of that. Her voice got louder. "What does she mean?"

Celiane answered. "Their claws have some sort of toxin. We've had four die already."

Giles sent her an exasperated look. "They were much more badly cut than I. And many of those who were hurt by the creatures are still alive."

Celiane frowned. "They won't be much longer." She glanced at his sword. "And you've been fighting, making your heart pump faster. The toxin will be making its way through your system more quickly." She gestured to the car. "You should have someone drive you to the hospital."

Giles shook his head. "There are many more seriously wounded. Besides, we are still not safe and Buffy cannot fight these creatures alone."

Buffy scowled at him. "I did a pretty good job with that one."

"Only because I was distracting it by almost getting killed."

"I didn't come all the way up here just for you to die because of some stupid poison."

"And I'm not leaving until everyone is safe."

"Giles."

"Buffy."

They heard someone snicker and heard a softly spoken comment. "Boy, it's like they're married."

Giles let out a long breath and then he glanced at Buffy. He found himself grinning and he hugged her again. "I really am glad to see you, even if you are already arguing with me." He turned to Wendell. "Is there other help coming?"

"Yes, I called the Council. They're making arrangements."

Giles hated to ask this next question. "Did anyone else make it down?"

Wendell glanced at them all and hesitated. "I only saw Sarah and Doug."

Maddy stared at him. "No one else made it down?"

He shook his head. "Not since seven o'clock, which is when we headed up the mountain. And I heard one of the creatures hunting down below." He glanced again at the Watchers there. "You're looking at the Council of Watchers. With the exception of a precious few scattered in far away places throughout the world, and a few who might still be wandering the mountain, I'm afraid this is it."

Everyone fell silent. They had all talked about it and feared it, but having it confirmed made it all too horrifyingly real. Maddy shook her head. "They're all dead?"

Buffy tugged on Giles' arm. "There's a demon who's doing this."

Giles nodded. "We know."

"Have you seen him?"

Daniel answered. "He killed him."

Buffy looked up at Giles. "You killed him?"

Giles rolled his eyes at the expression on her face. "I did learn a few things fighting by your side."

Maddy moved to stand next to him. "We're all alive because of him."

Daniel nodded. "He kept us from running. He kept us going."

Buffy didn't like it that these people seemed to be defending Giles from her. "I didn't mean it like that. He's killed a kazillion demons."

Giles grinned at her. "A kazillion?"

She grinned back. "At least."

Maddy frowned at her. "How did you mean it, then?" She had no intention of letting Rupert be slurred, even if it was by his Slayer.

Buffy blushed. She grabbed Giles and dragged him away from everyone. She didn't mind looking stupid in front of Giles but she had no intention of looking that way in front of everyone. "I just thought…" Buffy scrunched her face up.

Giles was baffled. "You just thought what?"

"I just thought that I'd be rescuing you more."

Giles barked out an astonished laugh, and then at the look on Buffy's face he pulled her in for another hug. "Oh, Buffy. If you hadn't shown up when you did, I'd be dead right now, and within a few minutes, all of these people would have been dead. You rescued us all, with your usual impeccable timing."

Buffy rested her head on his chest, listening to the reassuring beat of his heart. She found herself wishing she could just stay there forever. Finally she pulled away. "I didn't mean that I didn't think you could kill a demon."

"I know that, Buffy."

"I want you back." Buffy tried to pull the words back but they were out before she could stop them. The words were true but she hadn't meant to just spring it on him. She looked at him, worried that he'd turn away.

Giles smiled at her. "You do?" Then he frowned. "Are you sure? When I was last in Sunnydale…"

Buffy interrupted him. "Big mistake. I was mad." She grinned dryly at him. "I'm better now."

Giles stared at her for a moment. "We can discuss this later. Perhaps we had better first do some planning."

It wasn't the answer Buffy was hoping for but at least he didn't say no. She nodded and headed for the car to get the rest of the weapons.

A wave of dizziness came over Giles. He stood still for a moment, waiting for it to pass. When it did he walked over to the fire and sat down. Maria asked him if he wanted some tea. Giles grinned gratefully at her. "That sounds wonderful."

Buffy approached Giles just as Maria give him a brilliant smile in response to his grin. She found herself frowning at the interchange. She sat down next to Giles, sitting very close to him. She felt like putting a sign on him that said Buffy's Watcher.

Giles was relieved when he saw that Buffy had brought two additional crossbows, and more bolts. She had also brought more swords. Giles had mixed feelings about putting swords in anyone's hands. He was afraid that with their inexperience, that they'd start lopping each other's body parts off in the confusion of an actual battle. Buffy toed one of the swords. "That's the only way you can kill them. Take their heads off."

Giles tilted his head at Buffy. "How do you know that?"

Buffy scowled. "Spike told me."

"Ah." Giles' lips tightened.

Buffy felt the chasm between them again, threatening to yawn open. She glanced up at him. She saw the tension on his face at the mention of the vampire. Buffy didn't know what to say to diffuse his tension, without talking about how her stupidity cost over 200 Watchers their lives. Instead she just lay her head on his shoulder, and heard him wince. Buffy pulled her head back up. "I'm sorry, I'm sorry. I forgot."

Giles shook his head. "That's all right, Buffy. It's just a scratch."

Buffy pulled away farther and insisted on seeing this scratch. "Let me see."

Giles resisted. "It's just a scratch."

Buffy pointed to the gashes on his arm. They were already red and puffy. "Like those?"

"No, he just grazed me with a claw."

"Then let me see."

Maria arrived then with his cup of tea. Grateful for the tea and the distraction Giles took the cup. He took a cautious sip. Giles smiled up at Maria. "Thank you. This is lovely."

Then Celiane was there. She gently took Giles wounded arm and began to wash it out. Her lips grew tight when she saw how infected it was already. She glanced at Buffy. "Do you have a first aid kit with more antibiotics?"

Buffy shook her head. "No, well, yes, I have a first aid kit, but no antibiotics. That was sort of Giles' bit. Knowing that stuff." She chewed on her lip. "How bad is it?" Celiane just shot her a look. Then Buffy pointed at his shoulder. "He got cut here too."

Giles glared at her but Buffy ignored him. Celiane made Giles unbutton his shirt so she could take a look. He lowered the shirt off his shoulders. Buffy tried to ignore the weird flush she felt at sitting next to her almost half naked Watcher. Celiane prodded his shoulder. Giles winced again. He glanced up at the doctor. "Must you?"

"It's a deep wound."

"He only got me with a claw."

"Which punctured you." Celiane turned on her flashlight so she could see Giles' skin better.

Buffy gasped when she saw the red streaks shooting down his arm and back. "What is that?"

"The infection from the toxin." Celiane put her hand on Giles' forehead. "Do you feel all right? No chills, or bouts of dizziness?"

Giles shook his head. "I'm fine, Celiane." He allowed her to wash out the wound as best she could and dab the last little bit of antimicrobial cream they had. Then Giles pulled his shirt back on and buttoned it.

Celiane remained crouched in front of him. "You need to get treated."

"We all need to be treated." He pointed to the wounded. "And there are many who require treatment more than I do."

"Rupert."

"Celiane, I won't discuss this further, with you or anyone. I'm not leaving until everyone is safe."

Celiane and Buffy exchanged a look. Buffy glanced at Giles. "I could hit you."

Giles sent her an angry look. "Not if you want me back in Sunnydale. I won't have you knocking me unconscious every time you disagree with me."

Buffy heard the threat in his voice. "Fine then. I guess I better get these creatures dead so we can all go home." She stood up and reached for her sword.

Daniel cleared his throat. "There's one now." Buffy and Giles both looked up to see that the creature Maddy had harried away had returned. It still had a bolt sticking in one of its legs.

Giles got up. "Let's get this done, then."

Buffy glared up at him. "You are so not helping."

"The creature needs to be distracted so you can sneak around and kill it."

"I'm not arguing with that. But it needs to be someone else."

"Then who do you propose help, Buffy? I am the only one who knows how to use a sword in a real fight to the death. The one Watcher who tried to go after it with a spear is lying over there, torn open." He gestured at the remainder of the people there and hissed quietly at Buffy. "So, who? Who shall I pick to die next?"

Buffy prodded the crossbows with her feet. "No one. You shoot him with the crossbow and keep it distracted."

Giles let out a long breath. "We can try that, but I don't believe it will work. Once they determine something can't really hurt them, they seem to become unconcerned about any similar attacks."

Buffy glared at him. "We try this first."

"Fine." Giles reached for a crossbow. He glanced up at Maddy. "Little John to your Robin Hood?"

She grinned. "You're on."

Buffy frowned and picked up the last crossbow. She handed it to Xander. "Try really, really hard not to shoot me. Okay?" Buffy turned to leave but Giles stopped her. "Wait until we're shooting at it. It moves very quickly."

"Don't worry. I have no intention of being a late night snack." She headed off slowly to the edge of the clearing, starting to make her way around to get behind the creature.

Giles tried to stand up and found it difficult to do so. His legs felt a little shaky. Xander put a hand around his unhurt arm and helped hoist him up. "You all right there, G-man?"

Giles shook his head to try and clear the dizziness. "Yes, just a bit weary." He smiled at Xander. "I appreciate the assistance." Giles put his hand on Xander's shoulder. "And I appreciate your coming up here, more than I can say."

Xander waved him off, embarrassed. "And miss a chance to visit Weaverville? Not on your life. That bar alone was worth the trip."

Giles let out a silent chuckle. "Well, the delights of traveling aside, I'm still grateful." Giles started loading up his crossbow and went to stand next to Maddy, Xander on his other side. All three of them shot the beast.

It kept coming. They loaded up again, and shot again. Nothing. The beast let out its cry. Giles decided that after hearing it so many times, the effect of it was wearing off but he felt Xander tense beside him and grabbed his arm. "Steady."

Xander nervously nodded. "They left this out of the travel brochure."

Giles let out another laugh. He hadn't realized how much he'd missed the young man's quips. Then he noticed Buffy was in position. They sent another barrage of bolts into the creature. The creature bellowed again but kept heading their way. Which was just what Giles wanted, all of its attention on them, so Buffy could kill it.

Buffy crept closer, sword raised. She had to fight through the panic the beast's cries created in her. Just another few steps and she'd be close enough to lop its head off. Then she was throwing Giles in the car even if she did have to knock him out to do it.

The creature stopped moving. Giles watched it as it started to turn. He cursed and ran for his sword. Buffy let out a cry as she suddenly found herself face to face with the monster. Her speed and strength saved her as her sword came up and she began to block its attacks. Giles picked up his sword and ran quickly behind the creature. With one massive blow he separated its head from its body.

Before they'd even had a chance to talk there was a scream from near the fire. Buffy and Giles looked up to see another creature attacking. Several Watchers were fighting it with spears. Daniel held a sword and was trying to find an opening to take its head off. Giles looked at Buffy and after a second of silent communication she was running. She was almost there when the creature got lucky with one of its strikes. Its claws ripped open the side of one of the men. Intent on its victim, it raised its arm to open its prey for eating when Buffy yelled for the rest of them to get out of the way. They scattered and Buffy spun with the sword and the head went flying.

Buffy glanced around and made sure that there were no more creatures attacking. Celiane was already directing two men to carry the wounded Watcher to her area. Buffy glanced at Giles. He was still out in the clearing, talking to Maddy and Xander. Buffy looked at him more closely. He looked exhausted. He was leaning on the hilt of his sword, the point digging into the earth. Buffy headed over to him to bring him back to the fire.

Then she saw yet another creature, heading straight toward him. She yelled out his name. "Giles, in front of you."

Giles yanked his sword up and moved between Xander and the charging beast. His body had begun to ache and he could feel the chills signifying a rise in temperature. He couldn't seem to get his sword to move fast enough. He didn't. The creature raked its claws across his chest. Buffy screamed and in another second she was there, taking its head off.

Xander caught Giles before he could fall to his knees and helped him down. He was appalled at how hot he was. He glanced up at Buffy. "Jeez, Buffy, he's burning up."

Other people were running over to see how he was. Celiane had noticed the commotion but she was too busy trying to keep the other Watcher from bleeding to death. Buffy had ripped open the remaining shreds of his shirt to check the wound. Maddy ran off for a towel and some water, which she came running back with. She began to clean Giles off, a fact, which in a small part of Buffy's brain that she recognized as childish, Buffy hugely resented.

Daniel skidded up and pushed his way in. "Is he all right?" He winced when he saw the claw marks, and the angry red lines shooting out from Giles' two previous wounds. Celiane had just informed Daniel that two more Watchers had died. Slowly, all the Watchers who had been attacked by the creatures last night were dying.

There was another yell and Buffy looked up to see three more creatures approaching. Xander pointed out a fourth. He looked at Buffy. "We are so dead."

Buffy shook her head and jumped to her feet, grasping her sword. "Not yet we're not." She saw that several of the Watchers were throwing rocks at the creatures. Buffy looked at Maddy. "Maddy, crossbow. You too, Xander." Maddy glanced at Giles but then handed the towel to Maria. Then she and Xander were both running for their bows. Buffy registered an instant of not liking Maria taking care of Giles either before she was off and running herself.

End Part 6