Rupert Giles sat among the stacks reading from a small, old book. So engrossed was he in the subject that he didn’t realise he wasn’t alone.
"I’m really disappointed in you Rupert."
"Hm? Oh. You’re the Whistler."
"How did you know?"
"Buffy’s description. Small. Funny hat. Atrocious taste in clothing."
"Yeah, well. You ain’t one to talk. Latest designer in tweed is it?"
"She also mentioned your attitude. What do you want?"
"Like I said, I’m disappointed in you. I never thought you would fail. The slayer and Angel, I half expecte....."
"W-wait a minute. What do you mean, failed?"
"You didn’t tell her. It was your big test, and you failed. I thought you had more honour than that."
"I don’t know what you’re talking about." Giles felt himself becoming uncomfortable. What did this demon know? "I’m talking about the spell. About Angel. You know how to get him out. You didn’t tell the Slayer. You let her think he’s lost forever. I thought you cared."
"I do.." Giles suddenly realised he had raised his voice. "I do care." Quieter. "Th-that’s why I didn’t tell her."
"Oh, come on. What’s that crap?"
"If I had told her, what do you think would have happened, hmm? Who would have cast the spell? Willow? She’s not strong enough. And who would have gone after him? Buffy? They are both so innocent. They wouldn’t last. I-We would have lost them all. Or perhaps Xander. He’s so full of his own guilt, he would have been caught in Hell forever."
"So, instead you’ll let Angel suffer for all eternity. Nice little revenge scenario you have there."
"No. I have a plan. But I need some help." He looked hopefully towards the demon.
"No, wait. I can’t get involved here. It’s against the rules."
They were both so involved in their discussion they didn’t notice their silent witness, or when they were once again alone.
"No. No, I was thinking of some other help. But there is a way you can help me."
"Are you sure you heard them right?" The Scooby gang were seated in the canteen.
"Yeah. All this time, he knew a way. And he didn’t say a thing."
"I’m sure Giles meant well, Buffy. He was just watching out for you."
"It’s still a betrayal Willow. It wasn’t his choice to make. I thought I’d killed Angel. Do you know how much that hurt? How much...". Buffy found she couldn’t go on. "How much it would have meant to know there was a chance to save him?"
"Buffy." Xander hated to see her so upset.
"What! You think he should stay there forever? To pay for his ‘crimes’?"
"No! I just think that you shouldn’t condemn Giles without a hearing."
"Whistler said that he did it for revenge."
"Whistler doesn’t know Giles like we do." Willow knew their Watcher wouldn’t withhold this information to punish Angel. "I think we need to find this spell. Then we’ll know what we have to do."
"Where would we find it? I know. Let’s just go and ask Giles." Cordelia couldn’t believe their friends thought it would be so easy.
"I know. What about that book he keeps reading? He doesn’t let it out of his sight."
"Okay. So now we need a plan. Any ideas?" Buffy looked at the others, hoping for some inspiration. This was the first time they were working against Giles. There had to be some way.
If there was, none of them knew how. At least not yet.
Later that night........
Rupert Giles checked everything again. It all appeared to be there. He hoped he hadn’t miscalculated. If he had, then they were all doomed.
He’d told Buffy to do a quick patrol, then have an early night. The Slayerettes had been informed that their services weren’t needed. They had all accepted his instructions easily. In fact, they had acted rather strangely that evening. Oh well, something he could follow up in the morning. Hopefully.
He walked to the centre of the room. The pentacon was complete. The symbols exact replicas of those he had found in the book. The mortar and pestle were in place. At this stage the only item placed within was a strand of long, red hair. He’d told Willow he had seen something in her hair, and had pulled it by mistake. He had hated to deceive the young hacker, but if she’d known the truth, she would have insisted in interfering.
The other items he needed were to one side on the table. These were his talismans. His salvation.
A sound at the door made him turn. What he saw made his skin crawl. At least Spike had come alone.
"A funny little demon called Whistler told me to come. Said you had a proposition I would find interesting?"
"Y-yes. How, um, how is Drusilla?"
"You stay away from her! I would have thought after your last encounter, you wouldn’t want anything to do with her."
"I don’t. I just wondered if she’d forgiven you yet."
"All right. So she’s pretty pissed. She’ll get over it. In a century or two."
"How would you like to get back in her good graces sooner?"
"How? Can’t do that without her precious Angel." At the look at the Watcher’s face, Spike let out a half laugh. "You can’t be serious. That’s what you want me here for?"
"Angel is no rival to you any more. He regained his soul. But Drusilla will forgive you, if you help to return him."
They were interrupted by the entrance of two newcomers, one being forcibly dragged by the other.
"Took me some time, but I found him."
"Hello Ethan."
"Ripper. I couldn’t believe it when this fellow told me you wanted to see me."
"Yes. I need your help."
"And what do I get out of this?"
"The chance to perform the greatest magic you ever have. Besides. You owe me."
"Not going to forgive that, are you? It was only a little game."
"No, I’m not. But then, when have you ever done anything forgivable?"
Spike became bored with their verbal sparring. "Enough of this idle chit-chat. Why don’t you tell us why we’re all here?"
"An alliance if you like. We all get something out of it."
"Ripper. An unholy alliance? You?"
"Are you interested or not? Then shut up!" Giles was beginning to wonder if he will ever get these two to agree. "Ethan. How would you like to go down in history?"
"For what?"
"For the person who opened up the vortex to Hell."
The Slayerettes had all met up at Buffy’s house. They were having a counsel of war. And the enemy was Rupert Giles. Their Watcher.
Buffy had calmed down since that afternoon. She was still hurting, but now she could think more clearly.
"He might have meant well, but it wasn’t his decision to make."
"I’m sure he would have eventually." Cordelia felt sorry for her friend. Xander was lame, but at least he wasn’t in Hell.
"When? In a year? 10? 20?"
"Buffy, whatever it is Mr. Giles did, I’m sure he had a good reason. Why the other day, he was saying how he hoped to have some good news for you soon."
Buffy turned to her mother. "When did you see Giles?"
"It would have been about two days ago. He came to get something from your room."
"Giles was in my room?" Buffy was beginning to become a little frightened. What was her Watcher up to? "What did he want?"
"He didn’t say. Whatever it was, it wasn’t very big. He wasn’t carrying anything when he left."
"Um, Buffy." The others turned to Xander. "You know that photo of us all? The one we had taken last summer?" At the Slayer’s nod, he continued. "Giles asked me the other day if he can borrow it. Said he wanted to take a copy. He didn’t have one of us."
"Ooooh."
"Willow. What is it?"
"He took some hair."
"What?!" Oz didn’t know if he liked somebody else having some of his girlfriend’s hair.
"Just a piece."
"Are you saying he’s got a thing for you?"
"No. What she’s saying is that he’s getting stuff ready to cast a spell." Buffy was never so sure of anything in her life.
"Why the hair?"
"Well, he’d need something of a vir-." Willow stopped and felt herself blushing.
Xander thought it best not to look at his best friend. "When?"
"Tonight. Now. We have to go."
Giles pocketed his ‘souvenirs’. The photo of his young friends, to remind him of what was waiting for him on this plane. Buffy’s claddagh ring, to guide him to Angel. And the necklace. Jenny’s. The memory of her love to keep him focused.
Ethan was already sitting within the pentacon ready to do his chanting. Whistler was sitting on the stairs, observing. He was out of it now. It was up to the ‘unholy alliance’.
"Are you sure this is the right spell?"
"Oh, yes. Just chant it as is, the vortex will open. Keep chanting until I bring Angel out."
"What if I can’t keep the vortex open?"
"Then he’ll kill you." Giles pointed to Spike. "Slowly, I hope."
"So that’s what I’m here for? Security?"
Giles picked up the mortar and pestle and moved towards the vampire. "That. And this." With that he produced a knife and cut Spike’s hand. He then poured some of the demon blood into the pestle. "Thank you."
"You’re welcome. Just warn me next time." The wound was already starting to heal.
As the demon blood touched the piece of red hair, it started to smoke. Giles used the mortar to mix the two together, chanting something about demon blood and virgin purity. Spike wasn’t really interested. The fun was about to begin.
Once he finished his incantation, Giles placed two fingers into the mixture, and then wiped some on his face in an intricate design. He then nodded toward Ethan. The other man began his own casting. They could feel the mystic energies gathering. The vortex was beginning to open.
Buffy burst through the doors of the library. She couldn’t believe what she was seeing. Their mortal enemies. And he was using them. "Giles! No!"
Her friend and Watcher turned to her. He gave her a gentle half-smile, then turned back to the vortex. And entered it.
The Slayerettes entered the library in time to see Giles disappear into the vortex. They stood in shock. They had guessed his intentions. But they hadn’t thought he would actually do it. He had. He’d gone into Hell. To find Angel. The demon who had killed the woman he loved.
"I didn’t think he’d actually do it. Makes me almost feel ashamed of what I thought." Whistler stood up and moved down the stairs.
"Why? Why him?" Buffy wiped the tears from her eyes. Giles needed her to be strong.
"Because the rest of you couldn’t. You don’t have the strength. Hey. He may not even be strong enough. But he knew he was the best chance Angel has."
"So what now?"
"We wait."
"And him?" Buffy pointed toward Ethan.
"He has to keep the vortex open. If he stops the incantation Giles is lost forever."
Willow moved toward the chanting Englishman. He was weakening. She didn’t know how long he would last. She stepped into the pentacon, and sat beside him. And listened. If need be, she would join him in the incantation.
"Why is Spike here?"
"I can answer for myself. I was his insurance. If he doesn’t get out, I kill his friend. Hell. I might do it, anyway."
"Shut up. He might hear you."
"Oh no." They turned towards Cordelia. "Look."
The vortex was obviously weakening. It was beginning to close. Willow waited until Ethan had finished an incantation. She then joined him. The vortex waned a little, then seemed to gather strength. It held. But they knew it wouldn’t last long.
"Come on, Giles. If you can’t find him, just come out." Buffy hadn’t even realised what she said. She just knew she couldn’t lose Giles. Not now. Xander moved up beside her. They both watched. And waited.
There was suddenly a movement within the vortex. A shadow. Then, without warning, a body flew out. And landed on the floor. Buffy rushed to it. At first, it was indiscernible. Then she recognized him. "Angel?"
Angel looked up at the voice. Too much emotion. Too much physical feeling. He couldn’t handle it all. But he had to tell them. "It came aft er us. I thought we would make it, but it caught up. He threw me out. He’s trapped."
Xander looked up at the vortex. It was beginning to shrink. He didn’t think. He just acted. And jumped into the vortex.
"Xander, no!!" Cordelia was terrified for her boyfriend. But she had never been so proud of him. Oh, god. Don’t let it have cost him his life.
The vortex continued to shrink. Willow and Ethan increased their chanting. Hoping for just a few more seconds. Just a few more.
And then it came. The shape slowly moved through the gateway from one world to the other. At the speed it was going, they couldn’t even be sure it would make it all the way through before the vortex dissipated completely. Still it came on. And then it turned it’s head.
"Help me. He’s unconscious". Spike moved forward. He couldn’t believe he was helping these humans. But the Watcher had been brave. He deserved his chance. He took the unconscious Giles from Xander, and carried him over to the sofa in the office. He turned at a sound. Like firecrackers popping. The vortex had closed.
Buffy turned toward Whistler. "It’s all right. I’ll take care of Angel. He’s not ready for you yet, anyway. You go see to your Watcher."
She looked at Angel. "I’m sorry. I’m so sorry." With that she turned and moved towards the small gathering of friends. She knelt down beside Giles. So concerned with his well-being, she didn’t notice when Ethan, then Spike slipped away. Their work was done.
Giles tried to claw his way through the pain. It wouldn’t win. Not this time. It wasn’t his turn. Angel was safe. Now he had to return. He heard a voice calling his name. Was it? Had she come for him? No. Not Jenny. Buffy.
"Giles. Wake up. Please."
He slowly opened his eyes. "Buffy?" He looked towards the others. "Did it work?" His slayer nodded her head in affirmation. "Good. You liked my present then?"
"Present?"
"Happy Independence Day."