Part 1
London was cold, wet, and rainy. Not that Rupert Giles minded, but his red-haired companion certainly seemed to. Willow, he noted, was shivering violently.
"Here," he said, and offered her his overcoat. She smiled gratefully as he helped her don it. "Thanks, Giles." The brown duster seemed to drown her as she gathered it around herself. [She even looks lovely soaking wet,] he thought, and his inner moppet raised an eyebrow, which stimulated a flood of other, less innocent interpretations of the thought. Giles shook his head and dissmissed them.
He ran a hand through his short, wavy brown hair and smiled down at her. "So, why are we standing outside in the rain?" she asked.
"We're waiting for our ride," he answered. "Shouldn't be too long, though. Best to get the luggage together."
They set about gathering their belongings. Willow had packed only two bags, and in her carry-on only packed toiletries, a copy of The Demolished Man and an extra-large duffel bag to carry souvenirs in. Giles hoisted his three bags on his shoulders, and looked out into the street.
A large black sedan pulled up to the curb, and a giant of a man in a grey tweed suit got out of the right side. "Rupert!" he called as he ran up to greet the pair. He engulfed Giles in a bearhug, and just when Rupert became sure that he would never breathe again, the man let go of him.
"Edwin, old man," he wheezed,"good to see you again." The two shook hands, and then Edwin turned his huge brown eyes on Willow, who was still shivering from the the cold rain.
"And who is your lovely companion?" he asked, flashing a brilliant smile at the girl. She smiled and extended her right hand. "Willow Rosenberg. It's ah, n-n-nice to meet you." Her teeth were chattering as the rain soaked through her hair, and she was sure that if she didn't get inside and warmed up and dried really soon, she was going to spend a good portion of the trip in the hotel room being sick.Edwin took the offered hand in both his own and suavely kissed it. "Welcome to Great Britain, dear girl. Shall we go?" He released his grip and gently took her luggage away from her as he turned to walk towards the sedan. "This way."
Motioning to the two to get inside first, Edwin unlocked the trunk of the car and put Willow's bags inside with Giles'. He closed it up and got in the vehicle as well. He looked in the rearview mirror to back out of the parking space, whe he noticed that it was awfully quiet in the back seat. The girl, [What was her name? Willow?] and his cousin had both fallen asleep, she with her wet head on his shoulder, and he with his arm around the petite girl, his mouth hanging open, and his head back on the headrest. Edwin ran a hand through his long, sandy brown hair and chuckled, muttering to himself, "Plus ca change..."
~~*~~
Willow awoke to a hand shaking her shoulder. "Willow...wake up. Willow." She sat up straight and exclaimed. "Frogs!" before she realized where she was, and whom she had been using as a pillow. SHe grinned sheepishly at Giles, who said to Ediwn, "She has frog fear."
Giles and Willow exited the car as Edwin retrieved their luggage. Giles sighed as he saw the building ahead. The Watchers' Compound. He'd dreaded coming here as a child, and now it seemed he dreaded bringing Willow, who was still a child, into this kind of life.Willow, her children, her grandchildren, their children, theirs, and so on until the end of time. It was a big decision for her to make, one which she would want help and guidance with. Giles suspected that she already knew as much about being a Watcher as she could without being one. She really was as much a Watcher as he was...only without the magickal or combat training. In his mind flashed a picture of Willow brandishing a battle-axe and decapitating a vampire. Little Willow, the fierce warrior. He chuckled.
"What's funny?" Willow asked. The sun had begun to come out from the clouds, and a few rays shone onto her hair, giving it the sheen of brand-new copper.
"What?" Giles said.
"You were laughing, Giles. What's so funny? Thank you, sir." She took her bags from Edwin and waited patiently for him to lead them into the building.
It was obviously not a hotel. It was a castle, complete with drawbridge and moat and surrounded by walls fifteen feet high. The grey stones that made up the outer walls and towers of the castle has been repaired with normal red bricks where there had been holes. The outer walls of the main building were of the same modern brick.
"Renovations? When did they do this?" Giles asked Edwin.
"1982. You were in Prague that year. You haven't been back here since...well..."
Giles cut him off abruptly. "It's been forever, yes, I know. I haven't been called."
"You called us, Rupert." Edwin stated. His tone was flat, which Giles knew indicated that he wasn't keen on talking on the subject any further. "Miss Rosenberg, shall we get you settled?" he asked as he offered her his arm. "Your room is right this way."
"What about Giles?" Willow asked.
"I think he knows where his room is. This way, if you please." Edwin led Willow into the front doors of the castle, and disappeared into one of the many hallways that led upstairs.
Part 2
Willow followed the giant man through a maze of corridors, stopping every once in awhile to admire the artwork hanging on the walls. "Who is that?" she asked, pausing in front of an ancient mosaic.
"That's the Jewish maiden Ishetar." Edwin turned back to join the girl. "Her name is similar to Ishtar, but they are not the same person. According to Jewish legend, she was the prey of the angel Shemhazai, who planned to rape her. She tricked him into revealing the secret name of Jehovah, and used it to ascend into heaven. She became one of the Pleiades."
"Wow. This thing must be at least 1000 years old." Willow said in awe. The girl had Buffy's eyes....
"Actually, it's about three thousand. The order came upon it in 1767, and it's hung here since 1944." Edwin began to walk on. "There will be more time for a tour later. Right now I'm sure you'll want a hot bath and a change of clothes."
They walked on in silence for a few more minutes, finally stopping in front of a set of red double doors. "The guest wing," her guide said as he opened the right hand door. "This way."
They paused in front of the first door in the corridor, and Edwin pulled a set of keys out of his pocket and fumbled with them for a moment. He found the correct key and shoved it into the lock. The doors swung open to reveal a generous suite.
The sitting room where they stood was furnished entirely in modern leather and brass. A plump black suede sectional sat in the middle of the room, and several glass tables surrounded the sitting area. A giant black and gold enameled armoire faced one side of the sectional, and a matching one was placed at the opposite end of the room next to a brass and glass dining room group. Erte renderings hung on the walls, and a small fireplace sat near the door to the bedroom. Willow's eyes widened. "Wow," she breathed. The room was so modern, with its pure white walls and carpeting, that the effect was nearly stunning. They had, after all, just come from a hallway made of stone and decorated in a style Buffy would have termed "undead ugly."
"Like it?" Edwin asked as he moved to the armoire facing the sofa. He opened the top doors, revealing a large television, a VCR, and a stereo. The bottom doors held a collection of CD's and movies. "These are here for your amusement, of course. Feel free to use them. The other armoire has a computer in it -- "
Willow raced over to it and pulled it open. It was state-of-the-art, and seemed to have all the amenities. "I could hack into Interpol with this thing!"
Edwin grinned at her. "Just don't do it from here."
Willow raised an eyebrow. "I didn't say that I would, I said that I could. Right now, I'd rather have a shower..."
Edwin opened the door near the fireplace. "Your bedroom is this way."
The bedroom was furnished similarly to the sitting room, with a brass and enamel set, and the bathroom was furnished nicely; it was complete with a whirlpool and a small sauna. "Oooh," Willow gasped. "I could go for a whirlpool right now. Better than a shower."
"You've got time. Dinner isn't until eight. If you haven't a dress, there's sure to be one in the closet in the bedroom." He began to head for the door.
"Wait! How do I find the dining room?" Willow asked frantically. "This place is huge; I'll get lost!"
"I'm sure Rupert will be up to fetch you." At that moment, the telephone rang. Willow hadn't even noticed it sitting on the nightstand. She walked over to pick it up as Edwin said, "That ought to be him right now. You'll excuse me, Miss Rosenberg? I can let myself out."
She nodded and whispered "Thanks!" as she reached for the telephone.
~~*~~
"Willow?" Giles asked over the telephone line. "You made it."
"Yeah, all in one piece, too." Giles could hear the smile in her voice as she added, "Took long enough, though. This place is huge."
"I'll bet old Edwin took the long way around. Is your room done in black?" he asked.
"Yes, it is. And brass.And I have a computer and a whirlpool and a big TV, and..."
Giles chuckled."Then you're directly above me. Dinner is at eight. Shall I fetch you?" He sounded exhausted, Willow noted. She looked at her watch. It was 5:30 now, which meant that they'd missed tea. Willow's stomach grumbled in protest at having to wait so long for dinner, but it really couldn't be helped. Besides, she really wanted to try the whirlpool...
"Willow?" Giles said. "Still there?"
"I'm here. What time?" she answered him.
"How about 7:30? Is that enough time for you?"
"Yes, it should do fine. I'll see you at seven-thirty. And Giles, take a nap. I'll call you in an hour to wake you up. Give me the number." Giles didn't miss the note of concern in her voice. He assented, knowing that even an hour's nap would get him through the night in reasonable shape.
"Very well. One hour. Dial the pound key, then seven, then five."
"Will do. Have a nice nap." Without further ado, Willow hung up the phone and headed for the whirlpool.
~~*~~
He'd been asleep as soon as his head hit the pillow, and he was sure that the phone had been ringing for a few minutes. Gods, but that girl was persistent! He rolled over and picked up the phone, managing a muffled growl into it.
"Hello to you, too," said a cheerful voice at the other end. "WAKE UP, GILES!" she shouted.
He sat bolt upright in bed and banged his head on the headboard. "Ouch, dammit!"
Willow couldn't supress a chuckle. "Time to get up, sleepyhead. Dinner's in 55 minutes. Better get a move on!"
She rang off, and Giles got himself out of bed. Laying out a new linen suit, he began to prepare for dinner. He really wanted to impress the Watchers tonight. They were the ones who would really decide the fate of their journey. He had faith that the redhead would make a dynamite Watcher, but he wasn't sure that the Council would allow him to train an apprentice and Watch a Slayer.
[I'll just have to wait and find out.] He sighed and headed for the shower.
~~*~~
Giles adjusted his tie one more time before he knocked on the door to Willow's suite. The whole scenario felt rather like going to a formal dance did while he was still at Secondary; the same sweaty palms and fumbledyness were upon him. [This is Willow you're taking to dinner. She's a friend! Relax, Rupert.] He forced himself to calm down, then rapped twice on the door.
"Just a sec!" She called from inside. A long moment later, a beautiful, and entirely different, Willow stepped out of the room.
The apple green dress was made of layers of perfect silk, and she'd wound a matching scarf around her neck. Her brilliant red hair was done up in a loose chignon, and a few tendrils fell to frame her face. Subtle makeup completed the effect of a grown woman standing before him. A grown, and incredibly lovely woman. [She does hide behind her clothes...at home.] His inner moppet grimaced. [Why me?]
Giles was so lost in thought that he didn't notice Willow checking him out as well. He wore a tidy, close-cut black suit and a simple white shirt. A silver watch dangled from his pocket. Looking more closely, she noted that it was the Tazmanian Devil watch the Slayerettes had chipped in on for Christmas the previous year. She also couldn't help but notice that he smelled good. Really good, like cedar wood and musk. He certainly looked handsome in his suit and tie; she was beginning to understand why Ms. Calendar had said he was sexy...
She groaned inwardly. This was Giles, for pete's sake! An older man who was a school librarian by day, and a Watcher by night -- perpetually flustered, and always stumbling with propriety. [And he's old enough to be your father, Willow Sheilah Rosenberg, so you just derail this train of thought right now!] She shook her head and refocused her eyes. The dress, the hair, the castle...everything made her feel so much older. It was almost as if it was okay somehow that she found a man twice her age attractive. She looked at him again, finally noticing that Giles was staring at her just as intently.
They both smiled awkwardly, and he offered her his arm. She reached for it silently, and the two walked down the hallway together, towards dinner.
~~*~~
"Wow," Willow said as she and Giles entered the dining room. "And I was worried I'd be overdressed."
"I told you on the plane that dinner was formal, didn't I? Don't worry, you'll do fine." Giles grimaced to himself. He hoped that his father would take a shine to her.
Bryan, the First Watcher, was standing on the other side of the room, looking at the pair intently. In his ninteen years as the head of the Watchers' Council, he'd never felt such internal power coming from a seemingly ordinary person. The girl, Willa something...Rupert's protege, had a spark, a potential of some kind, and being in the same room with her was beginning to give Bryan chills. To think that his once-degenerate son had found this kind of treasure in America, of all places! He sighed and shook his head. [Have to give him one thing,] he thought ruefully, [when he does something, he doesn't do it halfway.]
"Giles," Willow said, "When did they have that done?" she was pointing at the painting hanging above the fireplace. It was a portrait of him and Buffy. He'd been asked to send a picture, and the only one he'd had of both of them was taken after they'd beaten the Master during Spring Fling. He'd wondered what they'd wanted it for. Looking again, he noted that the picture was one that Xander had shot on his front porch, Buffy holding a stake and Giles nursing his bruised jaw. The artist had thankfully removed both stake and bruise, what was left was an image of Buffy in her white prom dress and he standing beside her, both grinning like madmen.
Giles smiled down at Willow. "Last summer. I'll explain later. Right now, there are a few people who want to meet you."
Giles guided Willow directly to Bryan. "Father," he began,
"Is this the girl?" he said, peering down at her through his impeccably clean eyeglasses. The man was tall and slender, and his wavy grey hair and hazel eyes were so utterly reminiscent of Giles'... the resemblance was striking. Willow stared openmouthed as the man spoke again.
"You've done well, Rupert. Well, indeed. She's lovely." Bryan struggled to supress a smile as the girl fidgeted. They were so like he and Adelaide had been at that age, he twenty years her senior, she auburn-haired and gawky, yet lovely... [Like father, like son.] Bryan mused.
Bryan turned to the girl and said, "Well, Miss Rosenberg, how do you like our little estate?"
"Well...it's, um, not that little. It's huge." She smiled up at him. "But it's lovely."
"Rupert, will you excuse us? I think Miss Rosenberg and I need to talk alone." Bryan extended an arm to Willow, who moved to take it. Giles held fast for a minute, leaning down to whisper in her ear. "Be careful...he's a fast talker."
Willow shook her head at Giles and followed his father out into the garden.
Part 3
The garden was walled on three sides, and bordered on the fourth by a lovely beach, beyond which the ocean waves collided with each other. Roses crept slowly up the ancient trellises lining the interior of the garden, and a stone path wound through areas of day- and night-blooming flowers and herbs. In one corner, jasmine bloomed and there were a few lilies open behind a row of another flower Willow didn't recognise.
"What did my son say to you?" Bryan asked as he led Willow out to a bench near the night garden.
"He says you're a fast talker."
Bryan threw back his head and laughed. "Did he now? I'm not surprised."
Willow smiled at the older man's mirth and looked around the garden once more. "This is lovely."
"I'm glad you like it." He paused, and took another look at the girl, sensing her power more fully this time, and began speaking.
"Miss Rosenberg?"
"Willow."
"Willow, then. You know why you're here?"
Willow nodded. "Giles thinks I'd be a good Watcher."
"You call him Giles?" Bryan smiled again. "How quaint."
"You would make a good Watcher, Willow. A fine one. You're powerful in here" he pointed to her forehead "and in here." he gestured to her belly. "But do you know how much training and sacrifice it takes to be a good Watcher? How thankless it is?"
"I think so."
"How is that?"
Willow smiled serenely. "I have been hanging around with Buffy Summers for a little more than a year now. In that time, I've spent half my time being attacked by vampires, demons, mummies, bezoars, hyena-spirits, and crazed fraternity brothers. The other half of my time was spent in the library researching them. I know how hard it is, and how thankless. But I make a difference. I've helped to save the world, and my friends, more times than I can count. I've also nearly been killed more times than I can count. I've seen friends die, I've seen fiends die, but I still do this because...because if I don't, someone else will, and they might not be able to handle it. And what if they can't? What if the world ends one day because I wasn't there?"
Bryan nodded appreciatively. "So you understand a little of sacrifice. How are your grades?"
Willow blinked at the sudden change of topic. "Straight A's."
"And do your parents know about this?"
"About the trip to England? Yes."
"About the Watchers?" Bryan asked.
Willow shook her head. "They think I'm on a school trip. They're out of town a lot, and don't ask too many questions as long as I keep my grades up."
"Americans," Bryan muttered even as a soft chime sounded inside. "Ah," he said. "Time for dinner. We'll talk more tomorrow, so please, enjoy your evening. I'm sure Rupert will want to know what we talked about."
Willow smiled up at the older Giles again and said, "What made you name him Rupert?"
Bryan's eyes twinkled. "Rupert was the name of a valiant but misguided knight from the twelfth century. How doesn't that fit my son?"
They both chuckled as they walked in for dinner.
~~*~~
Giles had been reminiscing the "good old days" with his cousin Edwin when the chime sounded for dinner. He looked up towards the garden and saw his father and Willow laughing at some private joke, and a surge of some unfamiliar emotion went through him. He stood as the pair returned inside.
Summoning his most dashing smile, he extended an arm to the redhead, who blushed prettily and took it, allowing herself to be led to dinner.
Edwin and Bryan exchanged smirks and followed.
~~*~~
"What did you two talk about?" Giles asked as he took a bite of his salad.
Willow sipped at her wine and answered, "Why?"
"I'm curious. Does he think you'll be a good Watcher?"
"Yes. This wine is really good."
"He did say that? Wonderful. Did he say anything else? About schooling, or your grades?"
"Yes, " she answered, and turned her attention to her soup.
"Well?"
"He said that you should let me enjoy my dinner, Giles. I'll be talking to him in more detail tomorrow, and I'm sure you will be, too." Willow smiled at him, a small, secret smile that he'd never seen on her face before.
It was a woman's smile. Giles found himself smiling back, and their eyes met briefly. They turned their attention back to their meal.
Part 4
Dinner had been fabulous; it had been entertaining watching Giles interact with his father. [They're so much alike,] Willow thought, [it's uncanny...]
Giles and his father sat across the massive oak table from one another all through dinner; in that time they'd mirrored each other's movements and gestures, even down to pinching the bridges of their noses. Willow had barely managed to stop a laugh that would have sprayed the elder Giles, seated across from her, with cream of tomato soup.
About twenty-five Watchers lived here in Rosehaven, the castle named for the garden Willow had previously visited.Now they moved into the lounge for dessert and coffee, and Giles reluctantly left his guest's side to move among the gathered group. Edwin and Bryan went back into the garden, closing the glass doors behind themselves and moving off into the darkness. So Willow watched the group and sipped her coffee quietly for a few minutes, gracefully settling down on one of the lavishly upholstered benches that were interspersed among the plump sofas and chairs in the large room.
Willow observed the party with a strange sense of detachment. It was kind of like being at the Bronze, she decided, because she tended to do as much watching there. Willow laughed to herself at her own pun.
Giles crossed the room and sat down next to her. Smiling, he said, "What are you doing, Willow?"
"Watching." she said.
He smiled his dashing smile at her -- the one she'd seen him smile at Ms. Calendar with. Willow's own smile began to fade away at the thought of the night she had died. Willow supposed that her death was the reason she and Giles were here.
"Willow, what's wrong?" he asked, breaking her from her reverie.
"I was, um," she began, "I was thinking about Ms. Calendar."
"Oh." Giles said, and sank down further into his seat. "Oh."
"We're here to get away from our memories, aren't we?"
"I suppose we are." he said. He reached over and took her hand in his own. "It's sometimes necessary to get away, to establish a new perspective on things."
"I'm not blaming you or accusing you of anything, Giles." She took another sip of her coffee. "I was just wondering."
"You're very perceptive." he sighed, "and that's another thing a Watcher needs to be."
"Gee. Why does being perceptive make me feel bad?" she said. "I mean, like just now. I didn't want to bring it up, but I needed to know, you know?"
"You should never feel bad about being perceptive, Willow. Not ever, especially around me. Alright?" Giles said, grasping both her hands. He looked into her eyes and continued, "Promise me, you'll always be honest with me, Willow."
"I -- I promise." Willow's voice faltered as she returned her mentor's stare. "I promise."
A red-haired woman approached them from the opposite side of the lounge. She was tall, and possesed of some loose, lanky grace. Her hair, tied up in a loose ponytail, had one streak of pure white over her left ear, and she had piercing green eyes. It took a moment to realize that the woman was well into her forties, perhaps even older, becauseshe carried herself so well. She finally reached the seated pair and said, "Rupert, aren't you going to introduce me to your little girlfriend here?"
Giles blanched, and before he could answer, Willow stood up and extended her right hand. "Willow Rosenberg. And you are?"
"Adelaide Giles." she replied in a strong voice. She shook Willow's hand and smiled. "I'm Rupert's mother."
Willow stared openmouthed at the woman for a second. "No way." She looked too young to be Giles' mom!
"I believe the correct response would be 'Way.' Right?" Adelaide said. She turned to her son and said, "Really, Rupert, you couldn't stop by my office to say hello, or introduce me to this lovely young woman here, when you got in?"
Giles had regained his composure and stood up. "Mother, this is Willow. The one I wrote you about."
"Oh?" Adelaide stared at the girl for a moment. Willow felt like a bug under a microscope for a few seconds and then the moment passed. "She'll be wonderful. She's very strong. She should be tutored with me. I'll speak to your father about her."
"He knows you're here, then, Mother?"
"Not exactly."
The garden doors swung open and Edwin and Bryan stepped inside. Bryan made a sweep of the room looking for his son; when his eyes stopped to rest on Adelaide, he stiffened. He very nearly sauntered over to the bench and said in a stiff voice. "If it isn't my lovely wife."
"Of course it is, you old fool." she said drily.
"Charming as ever, Adelaide." Edwin interjected. He was silenced a moment later by icy stares from his aunt and uncle.
Bryan and Adelaide attempted to stare each other down as Edwin took Willow's arm and led her into the corridor outside the lounge. "They're always like that?" Willow asked.
"Well, yes. Very perceptive of you, Willow." Edwin chuckled. "I do my best to keep her riled up. My mother tells me that she's always been like that. How she managed to win the heart of the head of the Watchers is beyond me."
"She's beautiful, Edwin. Maybe it was love at first sight?"
"Maybe." the huge man said. "Actually, on second thought. That's about the only way it could have happened. They really can't stand living together, that's for sure."
"Giles is their only child?" Willow asked.
"Who? Rupert?" he said. "Yes. He was a honeymoon baby. Uncle Bryan got caught up in his work here shortly afterward, and they just seemed to drift apart...that's what my mother says."
"Is your mother a Watcher, too?" Willow asked.
"No. She's just family."
"Oh."
"Aunt Adelaide and Uncle Bryan?" he continued. "They really haven't spoken more than two civil words to each other since my cousin left for London."
"So that's why." she said pensively.
"Why what?" Edwin asked.
Willow stopped in front of the mosaic of Ishetar again. "Why Giles looked so uncomfortable when he saw them together."
"You're amazingly perceptive, Willow."
"Yeah, yeah, yeah. Tell me something I don't know." she grinned up at him.
They continued along in comfortable silence for a few minutes before stopping outside Willow's rooms."Thanks for walking me back here, Edwin."
"Sure. Anytime."
Willow watched him head down the hall before closing the door to her room.