Reveal
by DawnBTVS
Chapter 15
[reviews]
Disclaimer: All characters belong to Mutant Enemy, Fox, Joss, etc.
Rating: PG-13 (think Buffy show for violence/subject matter/language)
Time Frame: Season 2 with 1 week to "Halloween"
Pairings: G/J, B/W
A/N: Internship has been a little heavy the past couple weeks so apologies for making ya'll wait and I forgot to backup this chapter and have essentially re-written the whole thing. There's a lesson in there somewhere, fellow writers.
Willow exhaled; her staff lifted to her chest as she fell back into the defensive posture she always observed Buffy using. The blonde was sitting at the table, her attention raptly focused on the training session. Xander was busy eating a bag of marshmallows, propped up by a handful of ice packs resting against his lower back as he watched. The only one not paying attention was the one tapping away at the computer keys on her laptop. Jenny spun the item of her focus towards her before the tapping resumed. Giles took a step back. "Ready?"
"Yeah," Willow breathed, ignoring the perspiration of sweat dribbling down her neck to absorb in the loose top she had thrown on. Giles charged, staff swinging in numerous directions, forcing the redhead to backpedal while trying to desperately keep up with the flurry. Buffy arched an eyebrow but held still as Willow managed to knock Giles' staff aside, now forcing Giles back. A duck followed by a sharp jab made contact, knocking the Watcher back a few feet. "Make that civilians two, Watch..." but Willow's pleased declaration was cut off as Giles pushed his staff forward in mimicry of the shot he had just received, sending the redhead sprawling face first to the floor.
"Giles," Buffy hissed, pressing the palms of her hands on the table to launch herself at the older Brit. She stopped, teeth still clenched, at Willow's raised hand.
Giles stared down at the redhead. "Congratulations. You... are... now... dead," Giles stated, the icy tone not being missed by anybody in the room.
Xander held his bag, chewing his latest marshmallow carefully, while Jenny had lowered the screen enough to let an arched eyebrow appear. "Is he usually that... devoted?"
Jenny's question earned a glare from Buffy, causing the screen to once again hide the computer teacher. Willow rose to her feet, watching Giles. Scowl in place, Willow charged. Giles braced himself as Willow swung her staff as fast as she could muster, trying to nail Giles anywhere on his body from shin to skull. With each successive thrust, Giles backed up further, finally finding himself pinned against the book cage. Giles gritted his teeth, narrowing his eyes at the redhead before pushing her staff aside and hooking his staff against Willow's back, pressing the redhead against the book cage face first. Willow's face flushed with anger as Buffy started to rise but Giles held her at bay with a stern glare. "You've fought in the field, Willow. You've held your ground alongside Buffy and yet, you still demonstrated your age. I expected the most from you. If asked by a colleague, I would have confirmed that you would be the most polished as a civilian. They would be disappointed and unfortunately, I would have been sorely amiss in my evaluation."
"Get off," Willow snapped, struggling against the distinct weight advantage Giles had. Buffy eased out of her chair, arms folded across her chest but holding back at Giles' glare.
"A demon won't wait while you showboat to your friends to continue the fight. This is a battle, first and foremost. Not an opportunity for you to be proud that you can land a blow that would amount to a tickle to most demons out there. A vampire won't stop to bite you, just because you don't have the endurance to keep up." Giles pressed the staff slightly, a wisp of the redhead's hair falling over Willow's flushed face. "Maybe I was mistaken in thinking your maturity would overcome mistakes. Our session is over for today."
Giles pulled back, spinning on his heel, and began to walk back towards his office. Buffy moved to intercept him but the clatter of a staff on the floor drew her attention to Willow. Giles ignored the action, closing his door softly. Willow folded her arms around her stomach, face beet red in anger and embarrassment. Buffy's anger faded a bit, concern etching her face as she took a few steps towards the redhead. "Will?"
"Who does Giles think he is? He's just some big... bully guy. That's who he is," Willow huffed, stalking past Buffy and retrieving her backpack. She turned to Buffy as the blonde caught up with her at the table. "Cheap shot with my back turned. I'll show him," Willow remarked. "Maybe I'll, uh, I'll turn his tea into... into something rotten. See how he likes it."
Buffy creased an eyebrow in concern, not normally seeing the redhead this flustered in anger. "I'll talk to him. Talk in this case translating to threaten but..." Buffy trailed but Willow shook her head.
"Just don't pummel my boyfriend," Jenny called over her laptop. Xander had resumed munching his marshmallows at rapid pace as Buffy and Willow stared at the back of the monitor before resuming eye contact.
"I can handle myself, Buffy. Anyway, at least I didn't fall on my butt this time. Had to fling myself onto my face instead... Amy's stopping by tonight but I'll call you tomorrow. Bye," Willow said, not letting the blonde return a comment before marching out of the library.
Buffy walked to the cage, grabbing the staff, and placing it upright inside the cage although the thought of breaking it in half first flitted through her mind briefly. Xander held up a marshmallow, inspecting it. "You ever have Giles overreact like that, Buff?"
"Usually it's a firm tone but than again, I'm not a regular civilian and I kinda did press Giles into training you two. With the stipulation that he train you guys as he does me," Buffy added with a wince, taking in Xander's frown. "I might've underestimated how much my Slayer gift helps, 'kay?"
"Don't forget the healing. I'd love to have the ability to not be going, 'I can't walk' and 'Dear god, the pain, the pain' right now."
Buffy gave Xander a disapproving look and gestured at the marshmallow bag. "So the consumption of 'Kroeger's Puffy Marshmallow's' has no affect on your poor conditioning?"
"I did show my endurance, thank you," he reminded Buffy, throwing the marshmallow at Buffy. Buffy caught it and rolled her eyes, before tossing it back at him, watching it deflect off his chin, and skitter beside Jenny's computer. "You missed."
"I wasn't aiming for your mouth, Xander."
Xander gave her a smirk. "It's okay to accept that you throw like a girl, Buffy."
Buffy ignored the jab and turned to Jenny, a bit creeped when the monitor screen lowered, and a pair of hazel eyes met hers. "How's this?" Jenny asked, the marshmallow suddenly sailing through the air to hit Xander in the back of the head.
"You missed too," Xander nonchalantly replied.
"Buffy, does Giles happen to have any volumes that has an index of demonic languages? Preferably with a sample?" Jenny asked, getting a shake of the head from Buffy.
"That's Willow's department."
"I didn't think that remarking, 'It's not Russian and probably isn't Swedish' would put us forward anywhere."
Buffy sighed and nodded her head. "You can think." She pushed herself from the table, swinging her backpack on. "Promised Mom some bonding time. So I'm off to help hang snazzy framed works made with fruits and brushes at the Gallery. Could you...?" Buffy asked, looking at the closed office door.
"I'll chime in as concerned girlfriend and biased observer. If Willow's borrowed book is full of sacrificing toads and harvesting dead organs, you'll let us know?"
"Thanks and with a prompt phone call," Buffy stated, eyebrows creasing at the sudden thoughts of Willow turning to dark magic to avenge what just happened. Buffy shook her head and turned to Xander. "Lay off the marshmallows."
Xander acknowledged her with a hand. "Copy that. No more marshmallows. Only 'Cheesy Puffs' and 'Hostess' Debby Cakes.' I say hi but just make that a more Xanderiffic greeting."
Buffy cracked a closed lipped smile and nodded, walking off but not before glancing at Giles' office with a small scowl.
~~~BTVS~~~
Jenny peered through the glass, aware of Giles' form bent over his desk. She gently knocked and pushed open the door, stepping inside, before closing the door. Giles didn't bother to glance up and Jenny rubbed her arm nervously. "Is everything okay?"
"As peachy as being the Queen," Giles answered, his pen continue to scribble in the splayed open diary in front of him.
Jenny nodded, stepped forward, and rested a hand on the back of Giles' chair. "Rupert, you're not one to be that overemotional. It wasn't just that Willow turned her back, was it?"
Giles sighed, putting his pen down. He looked up, eyes taking in the framed picture Buffy had given him on his birthday of Buffy, Willow, and Xander seated on a park bench laughing. "I've been working with Slayers for about fifteen years now. All three of the charges I was lucky enough to train died, far quicker than they ever should've." Giles reached a hand up, handing the framed picture to Jenny with a sad smile. "None of them made it past four months. The Council doesn't care about who dies and who lives. They aren't apart of the field, coming upon their charges' dead bodies, and then having to tell grieving parents what happened."
"I'm sorry," Jenny whispered, returning the picture to its place on the mantle.
"Buffy has defied convention since day one. She's stubborn, brash, loathes following rules, and has survived because of it. A Slayer working with civilians is largely unprecedented, not to mention her... choice in relationships."
Jenny smiled softly as Giles glanced up at her. "I presume The Council frowns on Watchers growing attached to their Slayers?"
"They can't fathom that. Slayers by rule are the Queens to their Kings. Slayers attack any and all obstacles to save The Council, while The Council sits back barking orders."
Jenny eased herself against Giles' desk. "Does that involve pinning Willow against the book cage?"
"No," Giles commented, flushing slightly. "I've never taught civilians. The Council has always deemed civilians as... fourth rate if you will. Being civilians, Willow and Xander aren't capable of matching Buffy's physical abilities. My goal as their instructor is to teach them how to survive. Any mistake means death out there, Jenny."
"Buffy won't let them get hurt," Jenny stated, giving Giles' shoulder a comforting squeeze.
"I'll admit I'm not quite clear on the nature of Buffy and Willow's relationship. What I do know is this, that Buffy would sacrifice herself in front of Quentin if it meant keeping Willow safe. Unfortunately, Buffy and Angel won't be out there all the time."
"Willow's improving on her witchcraft," Jenny remarked, watching Giles pinch the bridge of his nose. "I know that your past has been sketchy but Willow knows her boundaries."
"The temptation is powerful, Jenny. Willow's impressionable and young. I once thought I knew my boundaries too."
Jenny smiled softly, leaning over Giles. "I don't usually divert such talk but where's the boundary for us?" Jenny bent down, softly brushing her lips over Giles' before pulling back, a small smirk now showing. Giles shot her a soft glare.
"I'll let you know when we cross it."
"Looking forward to it, Rupert."
Giles smiled softly. "As am I." Giles grabbed his pen, pulling his diary towards him. Jenny pecked him on the cheek and stepped out of his office.
~~~BTVS~~~
Willow grinned, running a hand over the leather cover of the book in her hands. She glanced up at Amy's smiling face. "This is great, thanks."
"Just a recommendation, but I suggest skimming the latter half of the book. In particular, chapter fifteen. I also tabbed where the chapter on transformation is so you can quickly reference it."
"Okay," Willow replied, flipping the book open. Her eyes widened and she stared at Amy. "Aren't these spells a little... dark? Jenny and Giles said," but Amy smirked and cut Willow off.
"Nothing darker than a little good luck falling your way."
"But... a dead salamander's tongue?" Willow asked her brows scrunched in concern.
Amy sighed and closed the book, wrapping her hands around Willow's. The blonde took satisfaction at the slight gasp. "To think spells are all about unicorns and doves is thinking in a box. You're smart, Willow. I know you think outside of the box and honestly, a dead salamander's tongue is barely skimming the surface of the shades of grey."
Willow frowned but nodded her head. "Well, you do have experience."
"You can trust me," Amy remarked, smiling. "Again, if you ever need a practice partner, I'm a call away."
"Phone, right?"
Amy chuckled. "Phone or otherwise," she said, winking at the redhead. "Let me know when you're done, Will." With that, the blonde walked off to the car waiting for her at the end of the driveway.
Willow gave a quick wave, opening the book back up. "Dead salamander's tongue... ick."
TBC