Giles rubbed his eyes wearily with the heels of both hands. Glasses dangling from his mouth, he attempted to ease the tension and the beginnings of the headache that had been looming ever since his earlier talk with Andrew.

Turning towards his companion, he gathered his tired wits together and concentrated on helping find a taxi to take them all to the Hyperion.

“Good God” he complained loudly “why is there never a bloody taxi when you need one?”

“I dunno Giles” his dark haired companion offered with a shrug. “Uh… maybe the girls had some luck at the rental desk…. How long can a coffee break take anyway?”

“Bloody hell.” cursed Giles impatiently “We don’t have time for this.
Willow is still missing, and God knows what has happened to Angel and the others.” He rubbed his eyes wearily. “I can only hope my fears are groundless, and Willow hasn’t gone and done something exceedingly stupid. We need to get to the Hyperion now…”

“You mean” came the wry interruption. “Like rushing off to LA in the middle of the night to help a maybe evil vampire, who may or may not be dead?”

“Yes quite” Giles muttered in frustration, as yet another cab ignored his frantic hail. “Bollocks… Right that’s it. Xander, go and find Faith and the others. Then meet me at the car park in 10 minutes. And for God sake don’t dawdle; if Marie insists on going to the loo again tell her to hold it.”

“Um Ok G man… 10 minutes… got ya, even if it means Marie embarrassing herself… right before she pounds my face in.” he added under his breath.

Xander left Giles and headed off in the direction of the rental car desk, muttering darkly about slayers with small bladders and even smaller tempers, and how you’d think super bladders would be part of the whole slayer package.



Giles’ mind swirled with all the possibilities that could or might happen if, and when, they found Willow and the others.

He was worried for the young witch; he hadn’t been completely honest with Xander and the younger slayers. Only Faith knew that there was a very good chance that Angel and his team were dead, and that more than likely Buffy was on her way here.

Giles however, had kept one very important fact to himself. He’d told the others about the woman and the vampire that had been seen leaving the alley behind Angel’s hotel. And it was true that both were most likely part of Angel’s crew. But what he’d neglected to mention to the others was that the woman who was described as being demonic and a rather strange blue color was not seen with a vampire matching Angel’s description, but Spike’s.

Of course, he’d known for months that Spike was back. His sources in LA had mentioned with increasing frequency the addition of a bleached blond vampire that had joined Angel’s team shortly after the Hellmouth’s destruction. Giles had kept the fact of Spike’s resurrection to himself, especially after the whole Dana incident.

When he’d first heard of the vampire’s return he had been wary, not sure whether to tell Buffy and the others about it. But when he learned that Angel was running Wolfram and Hart without duress he became even more alarmed. Not knowing if the older vampire was still playing on the same side or whether he had succumbed to the lure of evil.

After the whole Dana mess it had only made him more determined that Buffy not learn of Spike’s return, at least not until he was sure whose side Spike was on.

He wasn’t stupid, he had seen the grieving Buffy had tried so hard to hide from all of them, but he was wary of putting her in a position like the one she’d had to face when Angel lost his soul. So he’d kept his own council and done what watchers do, he’d waited and watched.

Then three days ago, the word had come down. Angel had turned upon the senior partners, and demons from miles around were massing for the final battle in LA.

Still Giles had held back, not wanting to put Buffy or the others in the path of something they knew very little about… and now it just might be too late.

God… if he was right? Everybody they had known in LA was dead, and if Giles was wrong about Spike and Angel… then… well, Buffy would never forgive him.

So he was here in LA with Xander, Faith and three slayers that he hardly knew, on the pretext of finding a missing witch and a vampire that they had very little to do with over the past few years. He just prayed that the information he’d received was correct and it was Spike that had been seen… because if it wasn’t and he had to tell Buffy that both the vampires she’d loved were dead, he didn’t think she’d survive it.

His sense of urgency increasing, Giles scanned the car park for what he was looking for… ah there… that should do nicely. Moving silently and avoiding the light cast by the many lampposts scattered within the area, he moved stealthily towards his target.



Eight minutes and one small spell later, Giles carefully pulled the large blue minivan over to the edge of the curb in front of the waiting party of slayers and one ex construction worker.

“Quickly, get in… Oh for God sake… Marie, not now, you will have to wait.”

Exactly 60 seconds later girls and gear stowed, he pulled out of the airport terminal with a heartfelt sigh of relief.


“Hey G!” purred an amused Faith “Wanna tell us where you managed to find the large shiny van in the middle of the night… cos I’m pretty sure rental companies around here don’t rent out vans with plates from Texas.”

She smirked as she leaned forward between Giles and Xander seats. Lowering her voice, she met the watcher’s eyes in the rear-view mirror.

“So G man, you gonna tell us where you learnt to hot wire a car? And why we’re in so much of a dam hurry that we couldn’t wait for the rental chick to come back from her break.”


Xander’s mouth opened in shock, as he looked from her to Giles and back again. “Whaat? You… we… YOU stole a car?”


“Oh do be quiet Xander” muttered Giles, throwing a worried look into the rear-view mirror at the young slayers huddled sleepily in back.

“Faith” he growled warningly, his voice pure Ripper as he looked away from his young charges and took in the amusement on her face. Muttering “Heaven give me strength” at the sight of the slack jawed former construction worker, he threw Faith his dirtiest look. Not for the first time, cursing her irreverent need to stir the pot.


“Xander” he sighed “Please do close your mouth, it is most unattractive when you gape like that. Yes, I stole a car; no I did not hot-wire it… if you must know I used a spell. And before you panic, I checked the valet ticket and the car will be back before anyone even knows it’s gone, not that anyone will” he offered somewhat smugly “The glamor I did will take care of that.”

“As to the hurry, well I suppose it’s as you would say… time to come clean. We will be there in a few minutes.”

“The first thing I should tell you is that the vampire I’m hoping we will find at the Hyperion is more than likely not Angel… in all probability it is most likely to be in actual fact, Spike, so…”

“Hold up there watcher man” interrupted Xander with an incredulous frown. “You didn’t hit your head when you were stealing the car did you? Cos I hate to break the news… but Spike is dead… or at least deader than usual. Shiny amulet thingie, the whole saving the world and going poof in the Hellmouth thing ring any bells?”


“No I did not hit my head” Giles sighed wearily with more than a hint of frustration.

“Yes… I remember quite well what happened in Sunnydale. However, it seems that Spike was somehow resurrected shortly after his… how did you put it? Oh yes…. his going poof. Moreover, not only is he back, there is reason to believe he has been working with Angel for nigh on a year. And before you start with the questions… don’t bother…. that, I’m afraid is the extent of my Spike related knowledge.”


“Hell!” Faith sniggered “Doesn’t anyone stay dead anymore?” She shook her head ruefully, before cursing herself as she took in the parade of emotions flowing across the one eyed man’s face.

“Oh God, I’m sorry Xan I guess I wasn’t thinking.” She swore at herself under her breath. Fuck! Where the hell was her brain, cos it sure as hell wasn’t in charge of her mouth at the moment.


Xander’s answering smile was a strange mixture of bitterness and sorrow as he turned his gaze on the first girl he had ever slept with.

“It’s ok Faith… Ahn would have said exactly the same thing if she was here. And well, if Spike really is back in the land of the living, then I guess it’s of the good. It’s nice to know that Buffy is gonna finally be happy again.” He offered with a melancholy smile.

At the look of shock on her face, he grinned, distracted by the fact that he’d successfully ruffled Faith’s feathers with his last comment.

“Hey, missing an eye people… not a brain. I’d have to be completely blind to miss the fact that Buffy has been grieving for Spike ever since he died. Hell! The guy saved the world for her… in my book that pretty much gives her the best reason in the world to miss him. I mean for Pete’s sake.” He added with a wide grin “Anya only saved Andrew… and I still miss her everyday.”


His attempt to lighten the already sombre mood in the van brought a smile to Faith’s lips, and even Giles felt a slight lessening of tension, his shoulders relaxing under the relief of Xander’s admission.

“Yes well, before you start getting too happy, I suppose I should tell you that Spike is undoubtedly gravely wounded and Buffy is most likely on her way here. And I suppose it won’t hurt to also confirm that the coven definitely pinpointed Willow’s whereabouts’ as being here in LA, so it seems that our missing witch is not as missing as it first seemed. And… Ah good, it seems we have arrived” said Giles, cutting short his explanation.



As he pulled to the curb the distinct outline of the Hyperion hotel loomed over them.
.
“Faith, I want you to brief the girls and let them know that under no circumstances are they to leave this van unless the signal is given.
Not even for toilet breaks” he muttered, throwing a meaningful glare at the Italian slayer who was looking rather fidgety in the back. “If she has to go, for pity sake take her down the road to the diner, but don’t under any circumstances come in to the hotel without my signal... is that clear?”

“As crystal G… so tell me again why I came? Cos baby-slayer sitting? Not large with the fun.”


Xander sniggered and Giles found himself with the sudden urge to clean his glasses. The annoyed and reproving glare directed at him by the dark slayer making him wish longingly for the days before the Master, when Buffy and the Hellmouth were his biggest concern. Thinking briefly that the fighter pilot thing would have been far better for his blood pressure, he directed his sternest look towards his belligerent charge.

“You are here Faith, in case there is trouble. Need I remind you that barging in to a situation, when we have no real conception of whom or what is involved would be foolhardy at best?” At her slightly abashed look, his tone gentled.

“Xander and I will go in, and when and if we need backup, which I vehemently hope will not be the case, we will signal you and the others. As to why I’m taking Xander,” he volunteered, correctly interpreting the sudden look of annoyed speculation on Faith’s face.
“Well as Willow’s best friend, and let’s face it” he said, throwing an apologetic smile in the boys direction “the least intimidating among the collective group, I feel that he is far less likely to get me killed than going charging in with a bunch of post adolescent slayers.”


Faith frowned briefly, then in typical Faith fashion shrugged.

“S’cool G, but I’m warning you now, if you and Xander leave me alone with that lot” tossing her head she indicated the girls huddled in the rear of the van “Then you might be down a couple of the more annoying ones when you come back.” she snarked “Specially that Meg chick,” she muttered, “I swear the little cow is related to Kennedy, she just gets on my last nerve.”


Xander did his best to stifle yet another snigger as Giles took off his glasses and started cleaning them at a furious pace, the harried look on his face not helped by his owlish squinting.

Looking at Faith he replaced the glasses and gave her what Xander liked to think of as his watcher look.

“If all is well then you can trust that we shan’t be any longer than the time it takes to … oh say…. kill at least one of them…”he offered drolly.
“Though I would prefer it if you could leave the majority of them uninjured… just in case we need them to… I don’t know…. fight” he finished, sarcasm now flowing freely.

“Look Faith,” he sighed his tone softening “I realize you are worried, and concerned for Angel, but getting belligerent and difficult is not going to help matters. The girls will listen to you, and if anything happens to Xander or myself it is you that will most likely be the one that makes the difference if it comes to battle. Apart from that I can only reiterate what I said before. Taking Xander in with me is the logical way to go, especially as we don’t know whether Willow has been coerced into being here, or whether Spike is actually the vamp that was seen”

Headache suddenly worse, he rubbed his brow distractedly.

“There is also the matter of the person that was seen accompanying said vampire, she or it are an unknown quantity and I feel it behooves us to be cautious.” Meeting her still mutinous gaze he attempted to make her understand, his next words brooking no argument.

“I won’t risk putting a possible ally on the defensive by taking a battle ready slayer in there, at least” he added firmly. “Not until we know what is happening… do you understand?”


Faith rolled her eyes, her sullen gaze flicking towards the back of the van. “Fine” she grunted. “But if you get all dead don’t come whining to me” she added before turning to address the younger slayers in the back.

“Okay, you lot listen up. We are gonna be stuck in this tin can for the next little while, while G and Xan go do their white hat thing… so rule number one… don’t piss me off. Rule number two…. shut it and keep your ears and eyes open. Rule number three… if you gotta go… hold it.” The last was said with a particular nasty glare directed at the Italian slayer. “Rule number four…. Don’t piss me off by disobeying the first three. Any questions... NO... good.”

“Right then G have fun…. and Xan, try not to get killed… ok?” She gave each man a particularly saccharin smile before hunching down in her seat. Tilting her head back against the headrest, she shut her eyes in an obvious gesture of annoyed avoidance.


Giles gestured to Xander indicating that they should get going while the going was good, and both men quietly and as unobtrusively as possible exited the van.